Mazda Motor Corporation
Company History
Mazda History: Founding, Growth & Key Milestones
Founded 1920 in Hiroshima, Japan
When was Mazda founded?
Mazda was founded in 1920 in Hiroshima, Japan by Jujiro Matsuda and Kenichi Yamamoto, making it 106 years old.
- Founded
- 1920
- Founding place
- Hiroshima, Japan
- Founders
- Jujiro Matsuda and Kenichi Yamamoto
- Headquarters today
- Fuchu, Aki District, Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan
- Milestones documented
- 10 (1920–2026)
- Current CEO
- Masahiro Moro
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| 1920 | Toyo Cork Kogyo Co. Founded in Hiroshima |
| 1931 | Launch of Mazda-Go Motorized Rickshaw-Truck |
| 1967 | World Debut of the Cosmo Sport 110S Rotary Supercar |
| 1989 | Launch of the Iconic Mazda MX-5 Miata in Chicago |
| 1991 | Historic Victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans (Mazda 787B) |
| 2012 | Launch of Skyactiv Technology & Kodo Design Language |
| 2018 | Akira Marumoto becomes CEO |
| 2021 | Opening of Mazda Toyota Manufacturing USA (Alabama) |
| 2023 | Masahiro Moro becomes CEO |
| 2026 | US Tariffs Cut Profit; All-New CX-5 Launches |
- Where was Mazda founded?
- Mazda was founded in Hiroshima, Japan in 1920.
- Who founded Mazda?
- Mazda was founded by Jujiro Matsuda and Kenichi Yamamoto.
- When did Mazda start?
- Mazda was founded in 1920.
- How old is Mazda?
- Mazda is 106 years old as of 2026.
Founding Story
Mazda was founded in 1920 by Jujiro Matsuda in Hiroshima. When the atomic bomb destroyed much of the city in 1945, the Mazda factory survived because it stood outside the blast zone and was shielded by Hijiyama hill. The company turned the plant into a makeshift hospital and refugee center and used its three-wheeled trucks to distribute food and medical supplies. That role in rebuilding Hiroshima remains part of how the company sees itself.
Founders
Jujiro Matsuda
Jujiro Matsuda founded the company (originally Toyo Cork Kogyo) in 1920 in Hiroshima. He rescued a failing artificial cork manufacturing business and aggressively pivoted it into machine tools and eventually three-wheeled autorickshaws (the Mazda-Go). He famously survived the atomic bombing of Hiroshima in 1945 and immediately ordered the company to begin rebuilding the city using its remaining factories. Jujiro Matsuda was born in 1875. Matsuda was born on August 6, 1875 and died on March 27, 1952. He was an inventor and machinist as well as an industrialist.
Kenichi Yamamoto
Kenichi Yamamoto is widely considered the 'father of the rotary engine.' While not the original founder, he was the absolute driving engineering force that convinced Mazda to bet the entire company's survival on the highly experimental Wankel rotary engine in the 1960s, completely defining Mazda's unique, contrarian engineering culture for decades. (Exact birth year remains publicly undisclosed).
Key Milestones
Toyo Cork Kogyo Co. Founded in Hiroshima
Jujiro Matsuda established the company to manufacture industrial artificial cork.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgLaunch of Mazda-Go Motorized Rickshaw-Truck
Introduced Mazda's first motorized vehicle, establishing automotive manufacturing.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgWorld Debut of the Cosmo Sport 110S Rotary Supercar
Commercialized the world's first dual-rotor Wankel rotary engine sports car.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgLaunch of the Iconic Mazda MX-5 Miata in Chicago
Unveiled the lightweight roadster that became the best-selling sports car in history.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgHistoric Victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans (Mazda 787B)
Became the first Japanese automaker to win Le Mans, powered by the 4-rotor R26B rotary engine.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgLaunch of Skyactiv Technology & Kodo Design Language
Revolutionized chassis, engine compression, and styling with the CX-5 crossover.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgAkira Marumoto becomes CEO
Akira Marumoto became CEO of Mazda Motor in 2018. Led Mazda from 2018 until Masahiro Moro succeeded him in June 2023.
Source: uk.mazda-press.comOpening of Mazda Toyota Manufacturing USA (Alabama)
Mazda Toyota Manufacturing USA, a roughly $2.3 billion joint venture plant in Huntsville, Alabama, began production; Mazda builds the CX-50 there.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgMasahiro Moro becomes CEO
Masahiro Moro became CEO of Mazda Motor in 2023. Previously ran Mazda North American Operations; became President and CEO in June 2023 and is steering Mazda through US tariffs, the new CX-5 launch and a slower EV timeline.
Source: uk.mazda-press.comUS Tariffs Cut Profit; All-New CX-5 Launches
FY March 2026 operating income fell 72% to ~$346 million (¥51.6 billion) on ~$33 billion (¥4.92 trillion) of sales as US tariffs hit exports; the third-generation CX-5 launched in North America and Japan.
Source: mazda.comKeep researching Mazda
Mazda Company History FAQ
What are the major historical milestones of Mazda from 1920 to today?
Milestones include founding as Toyo Cork (1920), launch of Mazda-Go (1931), surviving atomic bombing (1945), rotary license (1961), launch of Cosmo Sport (1967), launch of RX-7 (1978), launch of MX-5 Miata (1989), Le Mans 24 Hours victory (1991), launch of Skyactiv & Kodo (2010), and opening Alabama plant (2021).
How did the Mazda RX-7 become a global sports car icon in 1978 to 2002?
Launched in 1978, the lightweight rotary-powered Mazda RX-7 spanned three generations (FB, FC, FD), celebrated for its perfect front-midship balance, sequential twin-turbochargers (FD3S), and IMSA racing dominance, selling over 800,000 units worldwide.
What was the historic overall victory of the Mazda 787B at Le Mans in 1991?
On June 23, 1991, the screaming #55 Mazda 787B powered by the 700-hp R26B four-rotor engine won the 24 Hours of Le Mans outright, making Mazda the first Asian automaker in history to win the world's most grueling endurance race.
When did the 'Zoom-Zoom' brand campaign launch and what was its cultural impact?
Launched in 2000, the 'Zoom-Zoom' marketing campaign captured the pure childhood joy of motion with a catchy whispered vocal soundtrack, establishing Mazda's reputation for sporty, spirited driving dynamics worldwide.
How did Mazda overcome the 2008 global financial crisis and separation from Ford?
Following Ford's divestiture in 2008, independent Mazda completely re-engineered its vehicle lineup from scratch, launching the Skyactiv fuel-efficiency suite and the 2012 Mazda CX-5 (the first ground-up Kodo model), sparking a decade of growth.
How did Mazda celebrate its corporate centenary anniversary in 2020?
In 2020, Mazda celebrated 100 years of innovation by unveiling '100th Anniversary Special Editions' across its global model lineup, featuring classic burgundy and white styling inspired by Mazda's first passenger car, the 1960 R360 Coupe.
When was the flagship three-row Mazda CX-90 launched?
Launched in early 2023, the all-new Mazda CX-90 debuted as Mazda's largest and most luxurious flagship SUV, introducing an all-new longitudinal rear-wheel-drive platform, a 340-hp turbocharged inline-six engine, and plug-in hybrid powertrains.
What is Mazda's long-term vision for sustainable driving pleasure?
Under 'Sustainable Zoom-Zoom 2030', Mazda's vision is to enrich people's lives at the wheel with exhilarating, beautifully designed cars, while achieving zero traffic fatalities and net-zero carbon emissions through balanced multi-solution engineering.
How did Mazda start?
Mazda (originally Toyo Cork Kogyo) was founded in 1920 in Hiroshima, Japan, by Jujiro Matsuda. It originally manufactured cork for wine and refrigeration. In 1931, they pivoted to building the "Mazda-Go," a three-wheeled auto-rickshaw. Miraculously, because the Mazda factory was shielded by a small mountain, it largely survived the 1945 atomic bombing of Hiroshima, becoming the absolute central industrial engine that rebuilt the devastated city.
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