PT ASTRA DAIHATSU MOTOR
In March 1907, Hatsudoki Seizo Co,. Ltd. was established by Professor Yoshiaki Yasunaga and Seishiro Tsurumi who were the head of Osaka Higher Technical School (presently School of Engineering, Osaka University) and the director of mechanical science department of the same school, as well as group of businessmen, Sanayesu Oka, Masashi Kuwabara and Zenjiro Takeuchi, for the purpose of achieving domestic production of internal combustion engines. In December 1951, the company changed its name to Daihatsu Motor Co., Ltd. The name “Daihatsu” is a combination of the first kanji character for Osaka and the first kanji character for the word meaning “engines”.
