Shiotsu Autotrade Japan – President’s Blog

Recently one of our customers from Chile imported few used Japanese Tow trucks. He was very impressed by the way Japanese tow trucks lift cars in the street. Though we are used to such scenes in Japan, many foreigners find it very interesting. So, I am publishing this video of a heavy duty tow truck lifting a broken car from the street.

If you wish to import such used tow trucks from Japan, we will be happy to serve your needs.

Technorati Tags: Chile, used, Japanese, Tow trucks, trucks, cars, Japan

Japanese Mini-Trucks also known as Kei-trucks are normally used as work trucks in Japan. But these days some Drift enthusiasts are modifying these truks for Drifting. So do not be surprised if you see a Japanese Minitruck competing with Nissan Skyline sports car in a Drift Event.

Well, there is always some excitement for those who want to try something different. And if you watch this video, you will definitely agree that it is indeed fun to watch these trucks doing challenging course at top speed in drifting events.

Though we do not deal with modified mini-trucks for Drifting, we can definitely supply new or used mini-trucks for other purposes.

Technorati Tags: Japanese, Mini-Trucks, Kei-trucks, Japan, Drift, Drifting, Nissan, Skyline

Based on news from Trading Markets, Hino Motors – Japan‘s major manufacturer of heavy duty trucks, is planning to export trucks to Russia and India in 2009. Hino aims to sell 10,000 units a year in each country.

Due to a construction boom and rapid economic growth, Russia has a growing need for trucks. According to Avtorevyu, Russia imported 39,469 trucks (new and used) in the first eight months of 2007.

The truck demand in India is growing at a rate of over 30% every year. Tata and Ashok Leyland are major truck makers in India. But there is clear demand for environment friendly trucks because of stricter pollution control rules. Hino is planning to tap that market.

For the time being, Hino will ship the trucks from Japan, but it will consider local assembly when unit sales reach 10,000 in each market.

This is a good news for our customers in Russia and India who import used Hino trucks, that they will soon have authorized Hino service centers in their countries.

Technorati Tags: Hino, Japan, trucks, Russia, India, used

In my earlier post about Nissan’s Diversity Drive for its female workforce, I had mentioned about the limited role women in Japanese Car Industry and how Nissan is planning to change its corporate culture to include more women.

I recently came across the book Why Women Mean Business which gave a similar message looking at the global corporate culture. This book suggests that gender equality in the labour force could increase GDP by as much as 9 per cent in the US, 13 per cent in Europe and 16 per cent in Japan.

I agree with this view. Women have become probably the greatest neglected resource in business, both in their productive potential as employees and their market potential as buyers.

Carlos Ghosn, chief executive of  Nissan, recently mentioned that women directly made or influenced two-thirds of car purchases in Japan. So women definitely play a big role as buyer in Japan. As per Nissan’s surveys, 80 per cent of women buyers and half of men would prefer to see women sales executives in car showrooms. Yet only one out of ten salespeople in the Japanese car industry are women.

Companies are learning that they need to change how they market to women. And to start with, I have included my wife and one more female staff member to give more attention to our women buyers.

Technorati Tags: women, Japanese, Car, Nissan, Japan

The A-BATconcept hybrid

The Japanese Auto-maker,Toyota has switched direction with its 2008 concept – the A-BAT hybrid pickup concept.  The  new A-BAT concept is 27 inches shorter than an extendee cab Tacoma and nine inches shorter than the regular car model.  The A-BAT is the first Toyota car to have a mid-gate allowing cargo longer than the standard four-foot bed to extendinto the cab.  The power fro the A-BAT comes from Toyota’s hybrid synergy drive mated to a four-cylinder engine.  Based on the snub-nosed styling,it seems probable that the engine is transversely mounted and driving the front wheels.

Cadillac provoq concept

With updated cadillac styling cues on a 180-inch long CUV body,its stretched 10 inches longer than a volt toallow comfortable seating for five passengers.The cadillac provoq concept is intended to help give the brand an image premium sustainability by updating the fuel cell E-Flex power train. Like the other E-Flex vehicles,the provoq has plug-in capability and the battery has enough capacity for about twenty miles of driving.

Mercedes Benz vision GLK

This is a midsize SUV,which is a production concept for the GLK sport -utility vehicle.This handsomely rugged SUV  makes its debut in production from April.The production GLK comes in two versions- the off road model and the luxury-sport motif.

Technorati Tags: concept, Japanese, E-Flex, Mercedes

In Japan, you can find not only used cars from Japanese manufacturers, but you can also find cars of other foreign makers. For example, you can find vehicles of various makes,  including BMW, Landrover, Volvo, Benz, Hummer, and Volkswagon.

So if you are planning to purchase a used car of foreign make, you can get a good deal in Japan too.  At Shiotstu Autotrade, we are ready to fulfil that dream of yours. All you need to do is contact us and let us know your preference of make and model. These pre-owned vehicles belong to rich people, who usually discard them off while the vehicles are still in very good condition. These owners are usually rushing to get themselves the latest models in the market.

The advantage on these foreign brand vehicles is that they are usually cheaper than the Japanese used ones, wonder why?? The maintenance costs and spare parts for these cars are expensive in Japan. So if you think that non-Japanese vehicles are beyond your reach,  it’s not the case. You can own one today – at a fraction of cost of the Japanese vehicles !!

Technorati Tags: Japanese, BMW, Hummer, used car

Japanese people have got a very high code of customs and is considered very important.
Though some of the customs and conducts are regional and may not be found in the whole of japan. Bowing, I guess this is the feature of the Japanese custom that is well known everywhere.

There are 3-types of bows, the informal,the formal and the very formal.  Generally talking of bowing in japan, the inferior bows longer,more frequently than the superior. I guess this is the feature of the Japanese custom that is well known everywhere. There are 3-types of bows, the informal,the formal and the very formal.  Generally talking of bowing in japan, the inferior bows longer, more frequently than the superiorGreeting, they are considered to be of extreme importance in the Japanese culture. The most common type of greetings are Ohayo gozaimusu for goodmorning,this greeting can be used at any time of the day if it the first meeting for the day.  Then konnichiwa for good afternoon and konnbanwa for good evening.  Learnt some japanese greetings??interesting. For Meals, one has to say itadakimasu before the meal and the gochisosama deshita after the meal. Literally itadakimus means I recieve. Japanese people eat using chopsticks .

If it comes to dressing style,the japanese have what they call the kimono and yukata. The kimono is usually made of silk and very expensive. The yukata is very light and can be worn without underwear, it is very comfortable when it is summer season,that is when it is very hot.
Ever thought of how funerals are done in japan,there are several dos and don’ts. what to do.

Bring money in a funeral envelope rather than flowers
wear black or dark clothes.
wear pearls if you are a woman.
what not to do. don’t wear conspicuous jewelry other than pearls.

Technorati Tags: Japanese, Greeting, chopsticks, kimono

Ever thought of how many interesting things that are in Japan.  Here we are, giving you some, I mean some because there is lots more of interesting things in japan.

Attractions.

Japan offers a wide range of attractions, from historical and cultural treasures to modern and futuristic sights and beautiful forests,  mountains and sea coast.
Talk of temples, shrines,  gardens, castles also hot springs can be found all over Japan.  Every municipality has atleast one. Among the attractions are:

Temples: These are the places of worship in Japanese Buddhism,almost every municipality has at least one temple, while large cultural centers like kyoto have several thousands of them. Temples store and display sacred

Buddhist objects,structurtes at a temple are the following:

The mainhall, These are called kondo or hondo . There are other several japanese names. This is where the sacred objects of worship, such as statues are displayed.

The lecturehall, They are called kodo.These are mainly for meetings and lectures but also display objects of worship.

pagoda, Usually with 3( sanju no to) or 5 (goju no to) stories.These store remains of the buddha.

Gate,These mark the entrance to the temple grounds.there is usually one main gate,and possibly several other additional gates.

Bell,On new year’s eve, temple bells are rang 108 times, corresponding to the buddhist concept of 108 worldly desires.

Cemetery, Most cemetries in japan are buddhist and are located at a temple. During Obon week, the japanese visit their ancestors’ graves.

The most famous Japanese temple is Todaiji found in Nara,it houses japan’s largest Buddha statue.

Accomodation.

Besides western style hotels and pensions, there is a variety of japanese style accomodations such as ryokan and minshuku.

Ryokan are japanese style inns, they come in all sizes and are found across japan. A stay at a ryokan is highly recommended to all foreign visitors of japan,as it offers the opportunity to experience a traditional japanese atmosphere. The rooms have a tatami floor and a low table.
shoes are usually removed at the ryokan`s main entrance, where slippers will be kept already. During stay at a ryokan, you have the opportunity to enjoy a japanese style bath, called ofuro, these are gender separated communal bath.

Minshuku are japanese style bed and breakfast places, they are usually owned by a family and offer visitors a good opportunity to meet a local family and experience a traditional japanese lifestyle.

Transportation:

Most of the japan’s major cities offer efficient public transportation networks,and are conneceted with each other by the shinkansen, the japanese bullet train.

Japan’s main island Honshu is covered by a network of high speed train lines that connect Tokyo with most of the island’ s major cities and Fukuoka on the island of kyushu.

Talking of shinkansen, the Tokaido shinkansen, connecting Tokyo, Nagoya,Kyoto and Osaka was inaugurated in the year 1964, as the first shinkansen line and the world’s first high speed train.

Food:

The japanese cuisine is one of japan’s greatest attractions .  A great variety of japanese cuisine and food from around the world can be enjoyed in japan.

The most popular dishes, categorised are:rice dishes, seafood dishes, noodle dishes, soya bean dishes, nabe dishes, yoshoku dishes and several others.

The rice dishes include but not limited to, sushi, domburi, onigiri, kare raisu: this is curry rice, fried rice. The

sushi can be defined as a dish which contains sushi rice and (cooked or uncooked) fish. Sushi is usually confused with sashimi by many foreigners. Sashimi is the raw(nama) fish,there are several sorts of fish that can be used for this.

Onigiri are rice balls made of cooked rice and usually wraped with a nori seaweed. They are slightly salted and often contain some additional food in the center such as umeboshi(pickled japanese apricot)

Seafood dishes . They inculed sashimi,this is raw seafood,most types of sashimi are enjoyed with soya sauce and wasabi. There is also Yakizakana, this is grilled fish.

This is just a tip of the very many interesting things in japan, several more others have not been mentioned.

Technorati Tags: Japan, temples, Buddhism, pagoda, shinkansen, sushi, Seafood