Latest news with #Nishimura
Time of India
23-05-2025
- Automotive
- Time of India
Musashi of Japan bets big on India's electric two-wheeler story
HighlightsMusashi Auto Parts is betting big on India's electric two-wheeler market, driven by local demand and cost advantages. The company is expanding its EV portfolio through partnerships and investments, including e-axle manufacturing with Delta Electronics and Toyota Tsusho. India is emerging as a strategic global hub for Musashi, with plans for increased capacity, possible greenfield expansion, and broader EV component exports. Mumbai: It is just a little over a year since Naoya Nishimura took over as CEO of Musashi Auto Parts (India) but he is already convinced that there are tremendous opportunities ahead in the country's electric two-wheeler segment. A wholly-owned arm of Japan's Musashi Seimitsu Industry Co, the company has its operations in Bengaluru and Bawal, Haryana. Honda Motor has a stake of over 20per cent in the parent company which by itself translates into a deep bonding between the two entities. Domestic demand is high in India and we will look at targeting supplies here first. My personal view is that the future can see India take a bigger role for MusashiNaoya Nishimura Quite naturally, HMSI ( Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India ) is a major customer for Musashi while Royal Enfield, Suzuki and Yamaha also feature in its list for supply of ICE (internal combustion engine) parts like transmission gears, shafts and camshafts. 'Our headquarters is aggressively focusing on India for its expansion plans. New product development is currently not happening so much in the world while India is growing rapidly in both ICE and electric vehicles,' Nishimura, who is also CEO of Musashi Africa, told ET Auto in a recent interview. Bullish on startups The company recently made an investment in the Coimbatore-based startup, BNC Motors , for electric scooters. Emobi, another startup based in Bengaluru, has a partnership with Musashi Seimitsu, the Japanese parent, and Honda Power Pack Energy India for electric scooters. Going forward, Musashi Auto Parts will explore more opportunities in the electric space with companies such as Ather, TVS Motor etc. New product development is currently not happening so much in the world while India is growing rapidly in both ICE and EVsNaoya Nishimura Musashi Seimitsu, Delta Electronics and Toyota Tsusho have also invested in Musashi Delta e-Axle India, a separate entity, which will cater to supplies of e-axles for two-wheelers. The e-axle consists of a gearbox and motor and the company (to quote its press release at the time of entering the market) will strive to provide high added value by way of compact, light and quiet characteristics required for EVs. 'Going forward, we will aim to supply e-axles to a wide range of customers, with the main target being the 125cc class, which is the volume zone for motorcycles in the Indian market,' added the press statement. Musashi Seimistu holds 51per cent in this entity with Delta and Toyota Tsusho taking up 34per cent and 15per cent each. 'While Delta is considering how to reduce costs, Toyota Tsushosa has a great network in the supply chain and we are developing the entire e-axle. So combined, these three companies are developing the next generation e-axle with more competitiveness,' said Nishimura. Also Read: Musashi appoints Naoya Nishimura as CEO for India, Africa region India vs China Musashi also has operations in China where it largely meets the needs of BYD and other local automakers. Japanese brands like Honda, Nissan and Toyota are not doing as well in this market where electric has made deep inroads and local Chinese car brands are literally firing on all cylinders. Despite this, Musashi is more upbeat about India where the two-wheeler transition to electric is growing by leaps and bunds. 'I hear that the economic environment in China is not so good right now while India is seeing greater expansion,' said Nishimura. According to him, electric two-wheeler growth in this part of the world is 'quite fast' with additional support coming in from the Government by way of fiscal sops. Three-wheelers are also catching up quickly and Musashi Auto Parts has decided to keep its eyes open on the pace of growth in electric four-wheelers too. The company, incidentally, supplies bevel gears, transmission gears and shafts to ICE-powered four-wheelers as well as EV parts. When demand for four-wheeler EVs increase, we will look at further expansionNaoya Nishimura Nishimura said India has an edge over other countries in cost-competitiveness which will come in handy from the viewpoint of global sourcing. 'Of course, domestic demand is high in India and we will look at targeting supplies here first. My personal view is that the future can see India take a bigger role for Musashi when it comes to global supplies of auto parts,' he said. Advantage India Whether this means taking over more responsibilities from some existing operations in the ASEAN region remains to be seen but the company realises that there are inherent advantages to be availed of in India's cost and quality paradigm. Going forward, free trade agreements may also help the cause especially when it comes to despatching shipments across ASEAN, encompassing countries like Thailand, Malaysia, the Philippines etc. Nishimura said plant capacity in India would be increased keeping in mind the growing demand for electric as well as the ICE business where its 'No 1 customer is making a lot of products', the reference being to HMSI in all likelihood. The company may even look at a greenfield facility as the automotive market grows in the coming years. 'When demand for four-wheeler EVs increase, we will look at further expansion,' he said. It is also too early to say if another separate entity, similar to the e-axle business, will be set up unless there is a need for a specific partnership in the EV arena like batteries for instance. Also Read: Musashi commences production of e2w e-axles in India According to Nishimura, the company is flexible enough to adapt to fuel changes in the future. Electric is still making the news but automakers are also looking at hybrid and flex fuel options as interim solutions. More recently, Honda announced that it was now going to focus on hybrids instead of electric keeping in line with global trends. For Musashi, the key lies in 'utilising current assets' optimally by way of catering to different markets with their own specific fuel requirements be it ICE, electric or hybrid. 'We are very flexible and this is one of the strong points in our group with its varied competencies,' said Nishimura.
Japan Today
06-05-2025
- Politics
- Japan Today
Taiwan's Lai seeks cooperation with Japan to deter Chinese pressure
Taiwanese leader Lai Ching-te has called for stronger cooperation between Taiwan and Japan to deter increasing military pressure from mainland China as he met former Japanese industry minister Yasutoshi Nishimura in Taipei. Claiming Chinese military exercises in the Taiwan Strait and the East and South China seas have undermined regional peace and stability, Lai told Nishimura that the self-ruled island and Japan should work together to ensure maritime security and counter Beijing's "gray-zone" threats. Gray-zone activity refers to aggressive acts that fall short of an armed attack. Lai also sought bilateral cooperation in such areas as semiconductors, artificial intelligence and drones. The senior member of Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party, who had close ties with the late Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, referred to Abe's claim that "a Taiwan contingency is a Japan contingency" and went further to assert that "a Taiwan contingency is a global contingency." The House of Representatives member said he believes like-minded countries must work together to send a clear message in support of peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait. Nishimura's four-day trip to Taiwan through Tuesday came after a visit last week to the island by former Japanese economic security minister Sanae Takaichi, who also had close ties with Abe. Communist-led China claims Taiwan as its "inalienable" territory and tensions have been on the rise since Lai, who Beijing condemns as a separatist, assumed the presidency in May last year. The two sides have been governed separately since they split in 1949 due to a civil war. © KYODO
The Mainichi
06-05-2025
- Politics
- The Mainichi
Taiwan's Lai seeks cooperation with Japan to deter Chinese pressure
TAIPEI (Kyodo) -- Taiwanese leader Lai Ching-te called Monday for stronger cooperation between Taiwan and Japan to deter increasing military pressure from mainland China as he met former Japanese industry minister Yasutoshi Nishimura in Taipei. Claiming Chinese military exercises in the Taiwan Strait and the East and South China seas have undermined regional peace and stability, Lai told Nishimura that the self-ruled island and Japan should work together to ensure maritime security and counter Beijing's "gray-zone" threats. Gray-zone activity refers to aggressive acts that fall short of an armed attack. Lai also sought bilateral cooperation in such areas as semiconductors, artificial intelligence and drones. The senior member of Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party, who had close ties with the late Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, referred to Abe's claim that "a Taiwan contingency is a Japan contingency" and went further to assert that "a Taiwan contingency is a global contingency." The House of Representatives member said he believes like-minded countries must work together to send a clear message in support of peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait. Nishimura's four-day trip to Taiwan through Tuesday came after a visit last week to the island by former Japanese economic security minister Sanae Takaichi, who also had close ties with Abe. Communist-led China claims Taiwan as its "inalienable" territory and tensions have been on the rise since Lai, who Beijing condemns as a separatist, assumed the presidency in May last year. The two sides have been governed separately since they split in 1949 due to a civil war.
South China Morning Post
30-04-2025
- South China Morning Post
Naked man's deadly rampage in Japan leaves public demanding answers from police
Japanese authorities are investigating a naked man's violent 90-minute rampage across Saitama Prefecture that left one person dead, nearly a dozen injured and the public demanding answers – including why more than a week later, no details of drug or alcohol tests have been disclosed. Advertisement The suspect, identified as 48-year-old Daisuke Nishimura, has been arrested and is expected to face a growing list of charges over a spree that reportedly included multiple assaults, vehicle thefts, car crashes and a violent intrusion at a cram school. Police say they are still piecing together at least 20 separate incidents across several cities. The first emergency call came in at about 8.15pm on April 21, when a 'suspicious tattooed man' was reported driving slowly through a residential area in Kawaguchi, a city in the Tokyo metropolitan area. At around 8.30pm in Warabi, a small city just outside the prefecture's capital Saitama city, Nishimura allegedly crashed his car into a convenience store, Nippon TV reported. He was seen again at Saitama city some 20 minutes later where he hit two motorcyclists, both in their forties, killing one and leaving the other with serious injuries. Advertisement Fleeing the scene, Nishimura crashed head-on into another car at an intersection. He emerged from his vehicle, revealing his naked tattooed body, to pull the other driver out and steal the car that he had crashed into.
The Mainichi
24-04-2025
- The Mainichi
Man sent to prosecutors over naked trespassing, suspected in 20 cases
TOKYO (Kyodo) -- A 48-year-old Japanese man was sent to prosecutors Wednesday after breaking into a cram school near Tokyo completely naked, in a case that police believe may be connected to about 20 other incidents in less than two hours, including a hit-and-run that left one man dead. Daisuke Nishimura, who was arrested in Soka, Saitama Prefecture, on Monday, is suspected of committing a range of crimes in the area within approximately 90 minutes -- from hit-and-runs to theft at a convenience store -- injuring about a dozen people during the chaos. He was arrested on suspicion of trespassing and assault after attacking a 59-year-old male teacher with a mug at a cram school and grabbing the arm of a 14-year-old female student. Police were first contacted at around 8:15 p.m. on Monday about a tattooed man driving slowly through a residential area in Kawaguchi. At about 8:50 p.m., two motorcyclists were struck one after the other, with 46-year-old Mitsunobu Yoshida later confirmed dead at a hospital and the other, a 45-year-old man, sustaining serious injuries, they said. The area was then hit by a spate of incidents every five to 10 minutes. A naked man believed to be Nishimura stole a car that had collided with his own around 8:55 p.m., robbed a convenience store and stole a taxi carrying two passengers. Police arrested Nishimura at about 9:40 p.m. at the cram school.
