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Bosch Group in Japan
| 1911 | July | 7.7 Andrews and George & Co. becomes Bosch's first agent in Japan. |
| 1912 | Nov. | Bosch's first substantial business activities in Japan: Transfer of Bosch associate Friedrich Reiser as a specialist for automotive products to Andrews and George & Co. in Yokohama in November. Reiser sets up a repair shop for Bosch products within the Andrews and George facilities. |
| 1920 | May | Bosch concludes an agency agreement with C. Illies & Co., who thereby becomes Bosch's second agency in Japan. |
| 1921 | Feb. | Reiser returns to Japan for working as an engineer at the Kobe branch of C. Illies & Co.. Yagyu Shoten becomes a sub-agent of the Illies & Co. Bosch department. Carl Kuenkele takes over as Reiser's successor. |
| 1924 | After suffered extensive damage by the Great Kanto Earthquake in the previous year (9.1.1923), Yagyu Shoten constructs a new building in Tamaike, Tokyo. | |
| 1939 | July | On July 1, Technical license agreement with Bosch by the name of “the production and marketing of diesel engine parts for land, air, and sea vehicles, and stationary engines” concluded in the previous year (8.8.1938), takes effect (after approval by Japanese government). On July 20, Completion of registration for company establishment of Diesel Kiki Co., Ltd. (renamed Zexel Corporation since July 1990, Bosch Automotive Systems Corporation since July 2000, Bosch Corporation since July 2005) as a joint venture of majority of Japanese diesel engine manufacturers at that time, Tokyo Jidosha Kogyo (current Isuzu Motors Limited) and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, aimed at producing diesel injection systems under license from Bosch. |
| 1945 | After the Second World War, the Greek entrepreneur Anastase Ghertsos and his firm the Industrial Products Trading Company (IPTC), based in Zurich, Switzerland, takes over responsibility for marketing Bosch products in Japan. | |
| 1950 | Oct. | Fine Technic Products Company (FTPC) is set up as a subsidiary of IPTC, based in Tokyo. It takes over the sales of products from German firms Bosch and Carl Zeiss. |
| 1953 | Nov. | First license agreement between Nippondenso Co., Ltd. (current Denso Corporation) and Robert Bosch GmbH for automotive electrical parts. (11.13.1953 conclusion, 12.15.1953 approved by Japanese government). |
| 1955 | Aug. | Production facilities for capacity-doubling devices for automobile steering system split off as separate concern renamed Jidosha Kiki Co., Ltd. The company merged into Bosch Braking Systems Co., Ltd. in October 1999. |
| 1960 | Oct. | The Bosch and Zeiss Dept.s go their separate ways and the Bosch Dept. becomes Fine Technic Products Ltd. (FTPC). It now markets only Bosch products. |
| 1972 | Sep. | Founding of Robert Bosch (Japan) Ltd. (renamed to Bosch K.K. in 1985) as a 100% subsidiary of Bosch., located at Diesel Kiki building in Shibuya, Tokyo. Businesses for licensing, purchasing in Japan are transferred from FTPC to this company and sales of household appliances and gas heating starts. (Sales of Junkers products in Japan are finally terminated in 1985. The Household appliance Division is closed in 1992). |
| 1973 | June | Founding of the Japan Electronic Control System Co., Ltd. (JECS), the first joint venture of Bosch in Japan between Robert Bosch GmbH, Nissan Motor Co. and Diesel Kiki Co., Ltd.. (JECS is merged into Atsugi Unisia and renamed to Unisia JECS Corporation in 1993. Unisia JECS Corp. is merged into Hitachi Unisia Automotive, Ltd. as a 100% subsidiary in 2002. Hitachi Unisia Automotive Ltd. is merged into Hitachi, Ltd. in 2004.) |
| 1978 | Mar. | Founding of Fine Technic Sales Co., Ltd. (FTSC), taking over all business and personnel of FTPC. Packaging machinery Division (current Bosch Packaging Technology K.K.) is newly established, as part of Robert Bosch (Japan) Ltd. |
| 1979 | July | Robert Bosch (Japan) Ltd. acquires Fine Technic Sales Co Ltd. (FTSC), unifying Bosch's activities in Japan. |
| 1982 | Aug. | Founding of Robert Bosch Packaging Machinery Ltd. (today Bosch Packaging Technology K.K.) by Robert Bosch (Japan) Ltd. and Toray Engineering Company Ltd. |
| 1984 | June | In order to enable Bosch antilock braking system ABS to enter the Japanese market, Nippon ABS Ltd. is formed, a joint venture between Robert Bosch GmbH and Nippon Air Brake Co. Ltd. (renamed to NABCO Ltd. in 1992, current Nabtesco Corporation). |
| 1986 | Apr. | Nippon Injector Corporation (NIKK), located in Odawara, is newly established for manufacturing fuel injector as a joint venture with Mitsubishi Electric Corporation (Melco) and Mikuni Corporation. (Shareholding at that time: Melco (40%), Bosch and Mikuni (30% each). Since July 2003, Bosch and Melco operate NIKK as a 50/50 joint venture.) |
| 1987 | Dec. | A license agreement is concluded between Robert Bosch GmbH and Akebono Brake Industry Co., Ltd. for ABS for commercial vehicles. Bosch is a minor shareholder of Akebono Brake Industry Co., Ltd. |
| 1992 | Oct. | Founding of Airbag Systems Co., Ltd. (ASCO) in Tomioka, as a joint venture of Bosch and the Zexel Corporation. Renamed to Bosch Electronics Corporation in October 2000. Airbag Systems Co., Ltd. |
| 1997 | Aug. | Bosch became the largest shareholder of Zexel Corporation. Bosch's share of company stock from 13.9% to 30.1%. (listed as main stockholder on August 29.) |
| 1999 | Apr. | Bosch Group's share for Zexel Corporation reaches 50.04% |
| Oct. | Bosch, Jidosha Kiki Co., Ltd., NABCO Ltd. (current Nabtesco Corporation), Nippon ABS, Ltd. and Zexel Corporation establish Bosch Braking Systems Co., Ltd., integrating their passenger car brake activities in Japan under the leadership of Bosch. | |
| 2000 | July | Bosch K.K. and Zexel Corporation unify their automotive original equipment businesses at Zexel Corporation. At the same time, Zexel Corporation is renamed to Bosch Automotive Systems Corporation. |
| 2001 | Jan. | Bosch Automotive Systems Corporation and Bosch K.K. unify their automotive aftermarket activities at Bosch K.K.. |
| May | Industrial leadership of Mannesmann Rexroth AG, and its merger with the Automation Technology Division of Bosch to form Bosch Rexroth AG. With this merger, its subsidiary Rexroth Automation Co., Ltd. and Bosch K.K. Industrial Equipment Division are integrated, and renamed to Bosch Rexroth Automation Corporation. Uchida Hydraulics Co., Ltd. and Bosch Rexroth Automation Corporation become the members of Bosch group in Japan through its parent company Bosch Rexroth AG. | |
| 2002 | July | Bosch Automotive Systems Corporation, Bosch Braking Co., Ltd. and Bosch Electronics Corporation are merged into Bosch Automotive Systems Corporation. |
| July | Robert Bosch GmbH, Bosch Automotive Systems Corporation and Aisin AW Co. Ltd. establish a joint venture company, CVTEC Co., Ltd., for production of push belts for CVT (Continuously Variable Transmissions). | |
| 2003 | May | Blaupunkt GmbH, a Bosch subsidiary, and Denso Corporation establish the joint venture Advanced Driver Information Technology Corporation, in which these two partners hold equal shares. |
| 2005 | Jan. | Bosch Rexroth Automation Corporation and Uchida Hydraulics Co., Ltd. become Bosch Rexroth Corporation. |
| Apr. | Bosch Automotive Systems Corp. sells Zexel Valeo Climate Control Corporation (current Valeo Thermal Systems Japan Corporation; changed from a consolidated subsidiary to a equity method affiliate of Bosch Automotive Systems Corp. in December 2003) and Valeo Zexel China Climate Control SA to Valeo Systems Thermiques SAS. | |
| July | As of July 1, Bosch K.K. is merged into Bosch Automotive Systems Corp. In addition, Bosch Automotive Systems Corp. changes its company name to Bosch Corporation |
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