TOKYO, Japan, December 19, 2005 – As the only
company in Japan that owns three facilities promoting mobility,
which combine racing circuits together with multi-purpose
recreational facilities - Honda Motor Co., Ltd. announced plans
to strengthen its Suzuka Circuit, Twin Ring Motegi and Tama Tech
operations to promote further growth of mobility and a motor
sports culture.
Two Honda subsidiaries, Suzuka Circuitland Co., Ltd. and Twin
Ring Motegi Co., Ltd., today reached a basic agreement to merge
their operations sometime around June 2006. Prior to this
merger, Honda will obtain all outstanding shares of Suzuka
Circuitland and make it a wholly-owned subsidiary of Honda.
The new merged company, planned to be named Mobilityland Co.,
Ltd., will leverage the know-how and experiences of each
facility to offer higher-quality events, products and services
and contribute to the further growth of motor sports, mobility
and safe driving promotion.
Honda began operation of Suzuka Circuit (Suzuka, Mie-prefecture)
in 1962 as the first full-fledged international race course in
Japan, but also as a place to promote a mobility culture, to
host educational activities, to create the joy of mobility for
individuals of all ages including younger generations and
children, and as a facility that also features an amusement
theme park and traffic safety education facilities. Since its
establishment in 1961, Tama Tech (Hino, Tokyo), another facility
of Suzuka Circuitland, has been offering the joy and fun of
mobility to a wide range of people through its amusement park –
Motopia. For over 40 years since its establishment, Suzuka
Circuitland has maintained its vision to contribute to the
healthy growth of motorization and carried out a variety of
activities.
In 1997, Honda opened a new facility promoting mobility, Twin
Ring Motegi (Motegi, Haga, Tochigi-prefecture), which was
developed under the theme of “Fusion of People, Nature, and
Mobility.” Twin Ring Motegi has two race courses – an oval
course and a road course – and provides its visitors with
opportunities to participate in and experience motor sports
along with safe driving education activities. Twin Ring Motegi
also has “Honda Collection Hall,” a display of motorcycles,
automobiles, power products, and racing machines which Honda has
developed since its establishment, as well as “Fan Fun Lab”
where visitors can enjoy experiences in various areas including
environment and safety initiatives, and opportunities to use
their skills to create something. Honda also offers different
kinds of enjoyable experiences through its various corporate
activities including “Hello Woods,” which offers participants
fun and learning experiences in the rich nature area surrounding
Twin Ring Motegi and enables them to cultivate their own
sensitivities.
Honda will utilize the facilities as the foundation for Honda to
disseminate messages through its corporate activities and
provide a wide range of people in society with joys and dreams
through mobility.
About Suzuka Circuitland Co., Ltd.
|
Establishment: |
February 1,
1961 (Suzuka Circuit began operation in September 1962.)
|
| Representative: |
Ikuo Shimizu, President
|
| Capital Investment: |
2 billion yen
|
| Capitalization Ratio: |
85.4% Honda Motor Co.,
Ltd.
14.6 % others
|
| Headquarter Location: |
Suzuka, Mie-prefecture
|
| Business Facilities:
|
Suzuka Circuit (Suzuka,
Mie), Tama Tech (Hino, Tokyo)
|
| Employment: |
373 associates (as of
March 31, 2005)
|
| Sales Revenue: |
18.56 billion yen
(fiscal year ended on March 31,2005)
|
| History:
|
| 1961 |
February
|
Motor Sports Land
Co., Ltd. (later changed to Suzuka Circuitland)
was established
|
| |
October |
Tama Tech (Hino, Tokyo) began
operation
|
| 1962 |
September |
Construction of Suzuka
Circuit was completed / operation began
|
| 1963 |
January |
The first automobile
amusement park was built in Suzuka Circuit /
operation began
|
| |
November |
The first Japan Grand Prix
Road Race for the World Championship was held
|
| 1964 |
September |
Skill training for police
officers with motorcycle and automobile began at
Suzuka Circuit
|
| 1978 |
July |
The first Suzuka 8-hour
Endurance Motorcycle Race was held
|
| 1987 |
March |
Motorcycle Road Race World
Championship Japan Grand Prix
|
| |
June |
The company name was changed
to Suzuka Circuitland Co., Ltd.
|
| |
November |
The first Japan Grand Prix
for FIA Formula 1 World Championship was held
|
| 1992 |
April |
Racing School (SRS) opened at
Suzuka Circuit
|
| 2000 |
July |
“Putti Town” opened within
the amusement park of Suzuka Circuit with a
concept of “Children play the leading role”
|
|
|
About Twin Ring Motegi Co., Ltd.
|
Establishment: |
February 1,
1991 (Twin Ring Motegi began operation in August 1997.)
|
| Representative: |
Ikuo Shimizu, President
|
| Capital Investment: |
5 billion yen
|
| Capitalization Ratio: |
100% Honda Motor Co.,
Ltd.
|
| Headquarter Location: |
Tokyo
|
| Business Facilities:
|
Twin Ring Motegi
(Motegi, Haga, Tochigi-prefecture)
|
| Employment: |
133 associates (as of
March 31, 2005)
|
| Visitors/Sales Revenue: |
8.62 billion yen (fiscal
year ended on March 31,2005)
|
| History:
|
| 1991 |
February |
Honda Mobility
World Co., Ltd., which later became Twin Ring
Motegi, was established
(The company name was changed to Twin Ring
Motegi Co., Ltd. In January 1994)
|
| 1997 |
August |
Twin Ring Motegi began
operation
|
| 1998 |
March |
Indy Car World Series race
was held for the first time using the Super
Speedway (oval course of Twin Ring Motegi),
Honda Collection Hall, Fan Fun Lab, and Hotel
Twin Ring opened
|
| 1999 |
April |
FIM Motorcycle Road Race
World Championship was held for the first time.
|
| 2000 |
July |
“Hello Woods” began
activities
|
| 2003 |
April |
Indy Racing League was held
for the first time
|
|
| |
Source:
http://world.honda.com/news/2005/c051219_b.html
|
