News from The Datsun Heritage Museum:

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Fred Jordan writes:

It is my pleasure to announce that Yutaka Katayama (Mr. K) our friend, and mentor was recently inducted into the JAHFA (Japanese Hall of Fame Association).

Congratulations to a long overdue honor!

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Great News...

Carl B.

Edited November 13, 200816 yr by Carl Beck

Here are pics

With Mad Mike

And with Yoshihiko Matsuo

Congratulations to Mr. K !!!!! It almost feels like a member of the family has been honored. Any honors bestowed at this time are loooong overdue, but appreciated and welcomed, I'm sure.

The acronym JAHFA actually stands for "Japan Automotive Hall Of Fame". Here's the complete list of 2008 inductees:

Yutaka Katayama: Influential President of Datsun in America

Born in 1909, Katayama graduated from Keio University and joined Nissan in 1935. He was responsible for the first Tokyo Show in 1954, and founded Nissan’s operations in America. His management style allowed the Datsun brand to flourish in the States until his return to Japan in 1977. He was inducted into the AHF in 1998.

Jiro Tanaka: Respected Prince engineer

Tanaka was born in Tokyo in 1917. He graduated from Tokyo Kogyo University in 1939 and joined the Tachikawa Aircraft Co. soon after. Following the war, after the reorganization of various firms, he became a valued employee at Prince, moving up through the ranks to executive level. He became VP of Nissan Diesel in 1983, retiring six years later.

Seiichi Inagawa: The man behind the first Suzuki Kei-car

Born in 1925, Inagawa joined Suzuki after the war, rising to an executive of the company in 1973. He has received numerous awards, including a medal from the Emperor in 1997.

Katsumi Kageyama: Respected Professor of engineering

Kageyama was born in Kyushu in 1920, and graduated from Nippon University in 1943. He became a naval engineer, working on aero-engines, and then taught the subject at his old university, eventually becoming a Professor in 1965. He wrote numerous books, and received an Emperor’s medal. He died in 2008, a few months before receiving this latest award.

Michiko Miyasu: Safety specialist

Born in 1929, Miyasu joined the Marubeni trading company in 1946, before established her own shop five years later. In 1967, she set up a business that brought computer technology into the automotive world to enhance safety