Yutaka Katayama

Yutaka Katayama (片山豊) (born 15 September 1909), also known as Mr K, is a former Japanese automotive executive who was employed by Nissan and served as the first president of Nissan Motor Company in U.S.A. Katayama expanded Nissan's focus from economy vehicles towards sportier vehicles, and is regarded by Datsun/Nissan Z Car enthusiasts as the father of the Z-Car, as well as the Datsun 510.

He was sent to the United States by Nissan in 1960 to do market research, after which he returned to Nissan in Japan and persuaded the company to start its own sales company in the United States. In 1970, he introduced the Datsun 240Z, which Nissan had originally wanted to be named the Fairlady. However, his radical ideas for operations did not sit well with the executives of Nissan in Japan. Mr. K left America in 1975 and returned to Japan. He was inducted into the Automotive Hall of Fame on October 13, 1998 for his lifetime contributions, among them the Datsun 510 and 240Z.

A 1997 advertisement campaign for the then-introduced Nissan Frontier featured actor Dale Ishimoto portraying Katayama with a Jack Russell Terrier, stating "Dogs Love Trucks!" The campaign was further expanded to the entire Nissan line in the United States with the tagline "Enjoy The Ride."

Personal life

His son Hiroshi is an Olympic bronze medalist in soccer.

External Links

• The Strange Odyssey of Yutaka Katayama: The Datsun 510 and the Rise of Japanese Cars in America