Katayama Takes Over JAMA Leadership Position Starts January 2024 (focus on the role change rather than the person)
The Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association (JAMA) has announced a new leadership team, with Isuzu Chairman Masanori Katayama taking the helm as the next chairman. This change will take effect from January next year, following a four-year hiatus since JAMA's last in-person press conference on November 22.
Katayama's tenure marks a proactive approach towards securing the future of Japan's automotive industry. With a clear emphasis on logistics resilience and protection against trade disruptions, particularly for commercial vehicles, Katayama's agenda reflects a united industry-wide approach to tackle pressing matters.
The commercial vehicles sector is set to serve as the pacesetter for the next several years. Under Katayama's leadership, JAMA plans to focus on decisive action to address complex challenges facing the industry, including key priorities like logistics issues that arose in 2024 and post-disaster reconstruction efforts such as recovery from the Noto Peninsula Earthquake.
In addition to logistics and disaster recovery, JAMA is also alert to international trade pressures impacting commercial vehicles and parts. Katayama has voiced concerns about potential U.S. tariffs (up to 25%) on car and parts imports under the Trump administration, which threaten Japanese automakers including commercial vehicle manufacturers like Isuzu. Katayama has called on the Japanese government to actively protect the industry from these tariffs to maintain stable business conditions and prevent economic harm.
JAMA's new leadership team will also focus on areas such as fleet and energy management, with clear deadlines. The goal is to turn the industry's 5.5 million colleagues into 8.5 million, contributing to society by boldly grappling with challenges, particularly those related to carbon neutrality, streamlining logistics, fleet management, and addressing driver shortages.
The JAPAN MOBILITY SHOW, organized by JAMA, closed with a total of 1,112,000 visitors, exceeding the target of 100,000 people per day. The show, a symbol of the auto industry's unity, attracted over 1 million visitors and over 100 participating startups, enabling society's hopes for the mobility industry and its potential to be firmly grasped.
Katayama expressed gratitude to outgoing Chairman Toyoda for his leadership over the past five years. Changes made over the past two years under Toyoda's leadership have established a team-led approach to problem-solving. The other six current vice chairmen will continue in their roles, each representing a part of Japan's full automotive lineup.
The JAMA secretariat will consist of 108 members and will support Chairman Katayama in the new calendar year. Katayama expressed gratitude to people across all industries for their cooperation and support, as it is essential for achieving their vision. The new leadership team pledges to build on this momentum and drive further reforms to tackle the challenges faced by the industry.
With a focus on decisive action, united industry efforts, and a proactive stance towards securing the future of Japan's auto industry, the new JAMA leadership team is poised to make significant strides in the coming years.
Katayama's focus on logistics resilience and protection against trade disruptions extends beyond commercial vehicles, also addressing concerns in the international finance sector, as potential U.S. tariffs on car and parts imports could impact Japanese automakers' financial stability.
Under Katayama's leadership, JAMA's ventures in fleet and energy management will leverage technology advancements, aiming to increase the industry's workforce from 5.5 million to 8.5 million, thus bolstering Japan's automotive and transportation sectors.
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