Suzuki chief predicts creation of Japan’s “Big Three”

Japan’s automotive industry, which is one of the cornerstones of the country’s industrial economy, could be set for a period of rationalization that could lead to a Detroit-style Japanese “Big Three,” according to Suzuki Motor Corp. President Osamu Suzuki. Suzuki said that the present financial crisis is expected to lead to a period of consolidation in Japan that many believe is long overdue, with the world’s third-largest economy playing host to 10 major automakers. (December 31, 2008)