Japanese automotive manufacturer.
Founded in 1920 as a cork plant, the firm was called Toyo Kogyo Co. from 1927 until 1984, when it adopted the name Mazda Motor Corp. It began producing trucks in 1931 and supplied the Japanese armed forces during World War II; its factory survived the atomic bombing of Hiroshima because it lay shielded behind a hill. In the 1960s it began manufacturing passenger cars and marketing them in the U.S. After enduring a slump in the 1970s, it became one of the largest auto manufacturers in Japan. Mazda has supplied axles and other automotive products to Ford Motor Co. , and by the turn of the 21st century, Ford had acquired a significant ownership share in Mazda. Its headquarters are in Hiroshima.