87accordlxi
11-26-2013, 03:03 AM
<p>Filed under: <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/honda/" rel="tag">Honda</a></p><a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-11-22/honda-adopts-english-as-official-language-for-global-meetings.html"><img alt="Takanobu Ito" data-caption="Takanobu Ito, president and chief executive officer of Honda Motor Co., presents at the global debut of the Honda Urban SUV Concept at the 2013 North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit on January 14, 2013." data-credit="Wieck" data-mep="36748" src="http://hss-prod.hss.aol.com/hss/storage/adam/4e1c0e2216d2aad2775352e1b0800e38/ito.JPG" /></a><br />
<br />
Japanese was clearly the language of operation while we visited Honda's global headquarters in Tokyo last week, as well as its newest factory and principal test track. Chief executive Takanobu Ito (pictured above) spoke to us through an interpreter. But according to the latest reports, the Japanese language is being phased out at <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/honda/">Honda</a> in favor of English.<br />
<br />
This according to <em>Bloomberg</em>, which points out that tire manufacturer Bridgestone and rival automaker <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/nissan/">Nissan</a> have implemented similar measures, as have Japanese retail giants Fast Retailing Co. and Rakuten Inc. Honda's shift from Japanese to English comes as part of a shift in focus from central decision-making to a more regional model, but while English has clearly emerged as the international language of business, it's no coincidence that it's also the dominant language here in America. <em>Bloomberg</em> points out that over the 12-month period that ended this past March, North America accounted for a massive 47 percent of Honda's revenues worldwide.<p style="padding:5px;background:#ddd;border:1px solid #ccc;clear:both;"><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2013/11/25/honda-english-official-language/">Honda adopts English as its official language in meetings worldwide</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://www.autoblog.com">Autoblog</a> on Mon, 25 Nov 2013 08:29:00 EST. Please see our <a href="/rss-term-of-use/">terms for use of feeds</a>.</p><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2013/11/25/honda-english-official-language/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/forward/20775030/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a> | <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2013/11/25/honda-english-official-language/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a>
More... (http://www.autoblog.com/2013/11/25/honda-english-official-language/)
<br />
Japanese was clearly the language of operation while we visited Honda's global headquarters in Tokyo last week, as well as its newest factory and principal test track. Chief executive Takanobu Ito (pictured above) spoke to us through an interpreter. But according to the latest reports, the Japanese language is being phased out at <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/honda/">Honda</a> in favor of English.<br />
<br />
This according to <em>Bloomberg</em>, which points out that tire manufacturer Bridgestone and rival automaker <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/nissan/">Nissan</a> have implemented similar measures, as have Japanese retail giants Fast Retailing Co. and Rakuten Inc. Honda's shift from Japanese to English comes as part of a shift in focus from central decision-making to a more regional model, but while English has clearly emerged as the international language of business, it's no coincidence that it's also the dominant language here in America. <em>Bloomberg</em> points out that over the 12-month period that ended this past March, North America accounted for a massive 47 percent of Honda's revenues worldwide.<p style="padding:5px;background:#ddd;border:1px solid #ccc;clear:both;"><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2013/11/25/honda-english-official-language/">Honda adopts English as its official language in meetings worldwide</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://www.autoblog.com">Autoblog</a> on Mon, 25 Nov 2013 08:29:00 EST. Please see our <a href="/rss-term-of-use/">terms for use of feeds</a>.</p><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2013/11/25/honda-english-official-language/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/forward/20775030/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a> | <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2013/11/25/honda-english-official-language/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a>
More... (http://www.autoblog.com/2013/11/25/honda-english-official-language/)