The company traces its industrial roots to the Nakajima Aircraft Company, which served as a primary supplier of aircraft to the Japanese government during World War II. Following the war, the Allied Occupation government dismantled Nakajima under keiretsu legislation. By 1950, a portion of these separated operations was known as Fuji Heavy Industries.
The formal incorporation of Fuji Heavy Industries (FHI) occurred on July 15, 1953. This was the result of a merger between five Japanese firms: Fuji Kogyo, Fuji Jidosha Kogyo, Omiya Fuji Kogyo, Utsunomiya Sharyo, and Tokyo Fuji Sangyo. This consolidation established one of the largest manufacturers of transportation equipment in Japan.
By the late 1980s, FHI had established itself as a significant supplier of aerospace, military, and railroad equipment. Despite this diversification, 80% of corporate sales were derived from its automobile division. The company faced a period of financial instability in 1989 when sales dropped 15% to US$4.3 billion, leading to a loss of over US$500 million in 1990.
In response to these losses, the Industrial Bank of Japan Ltd. requested assistance from Nissan, which held a 4.2% stake in the company. Nissan appointed Isamu Kawai, then president of Nissan Diesel Motor Co., to lead FHI in 1990. This era marked a period of industrial cooperation, including a 1991 agreement where FHI began contract-manufacturing Nissan Pulsar and Nissan Sunny models.
The company's ownership structure shifted significantly in the early 21st century. In 1999, General Motors (GM) acquired a 20.1% stake in FHI. However, on October 5, 2005, Toyota purchased 8.7% of the company from GM, while GM divested its remaining 11.4% on the open market. Following this acquisition, Toyota and Subaru entered a contract in 2006 to utilize Subaru’s manufacturing facility in Lafayette, Indiana, for the assembly of the Toyota Camry.
In 2003, the company adopted the Subaru star cluster logo as its worldwide corporate symbol. On May 2016, the board announced the official name change from Fuji Heavy Industries to Subaru Corporation, which became effective on April 1, 2017.
The aerospace division of Subaru Corporation functions as a global development and manufacturing partner for major aerospace firms and a contractor for the Japan Defense Agency. The division manufactures utility and attack helicopters for the Japanese Self Defense Force, as well as trainers and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) such as the Fuji TACOM.
Subaru is a major contributor to international commercial aviation programs. The company manufactures center wings for the Boeing 777 and Boeing 787 jets and is one of five Japanese companies contracted to build parts for the Boeing 777X. Historically, the division produced the FA-200 Aero Subaru light aircraft and has supplied components for the Boeing 737, 747, and 767, as well as the Airbus A380. The division is also responsible for the maintenance of the Bell-Boeing V-22 Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft.
Subaru previously maintained a diverse portfolio of industrial operations that have since been discontinued:
Railway and Bus: The company ceased the production of buses and railroad cars in 2003. Its railway history included the production of various Diesel Multiple Units (DMU) and Electric Multiple Units (EMU) for Japan National Railways (JNR) and various regional lines, including the KiHa series and the Mooka 14 type.
Industrial Power Products: Discontinued in 2017, this division manufactured commercial engines, pumps, and generators under the Subaru-Robin and Robin brands.
Eco Technology: This division was responsible for the manufacture of robot sweepers, wind turbines, and garbage trucks.
Polaris Partnership: Beginning in 1968, the division manufactured "Star" engines for Polaris Industries snowmobiles. While engine manufacturing for Polaris ended in 1998, Subaru remains a supplier of pistons to the company, having provided over 2 million engines for various utility and watercraft vehicles.
Since its incorporation in 1953, the company has been led by a succession of presidents, beginning with Kenji Kita (1953–1956). Notable long-term leaders include Eiichi Ohara (1970–1978) and Yasuyuki Yoshinaga (2011–2018), who oversaw the transition to the Subaru Corporation name. The current leadership is held by Atsushi Osaki, who assumed the role in 2023.
The company's historical output includes a wide array of military trainers, such as the Fuji T-1 (1958), the first intermediate military jet trainer produced in Japan, and the subsequent T-3, T-5, and T-7 series. In the railway sector, the company produced rolling stock not only for Japan but also for international markets in Russia (D2 DMU) and Thailand (NKF DMU).
Gallery · 4 related images
