Isuzu Motors' history began in 1916 when Tokyo Ishikawajima Shipbuilding and Engineering Co. Ltd. entered into a technical cooperation with the Tokyo Gas and Electric Industrial Company to build automobiles. In 1918, they established a partnership with Wolseley Motors Limited and gained exclusive rights to produce and sell Wolseley vehicles in East Asia from knock-down kits.
In 1919, Isuzu produced the first-ever Japan-made passenger car, a Wolseley model, at the Tokyo Ishikawajima Shipyard at the Fukagawa Factory. In 1923, Japan was hit by the Kanto earthquake, which led to the import of heavy construction vehicles from GMC and Ford to aid in recovery and reconstruction. Isuzu sought to contribute to the recovery by producing locally-built construction and heavy-duty vehicles.
In 1929, IHI Corporation merged with DAT Automobile Manufacturing Inc. (a predecessor of Nissan) and changed its name to Jidosha Kogyo Co., Ltd. In 1934, the Tsurumi Factory opened under the company name Automobile Industry Co., Ltd., and in 1937, the company was reorganized and formed into a new entity, Tokyo Automobile Industries Co., Ltd.
During the war, Isuzu was one of the primary manufacturers for the Imperial Japanese Army and produced heavy-duty trucks and passenger buses. One of the vehicles it produced for the war effort was the Sumida M.2593 armored personnel carrier. In 1942, Hino Heavy Industries was split off from Tokyo Automobile Industries, becoming a separate corporation.
After the Second World War, Isuzu was finally renamed in 1949, following a meeting with the Japanese Government's Ministry of Trade and Industry (MITI). The company continued to manufacture trucks and buses and expanded its operations to include passenger cars and SUVs. Today, Isuzu is a leading manufacturer of commercial vehicles, diesel engines, and powertrains, with a presence in over 100 countries.
