Tokyo, Dec 19, 2005 AEST (ABN Newswire) - 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. (TSE: 7267) today 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, PresidentCapital Investment: 2 billion yenCapitalization Ratio: 85.4% Honda Motor Co., Ltd. 14.6 % othersHeadquarter Location: Suzuka, Mie-prefectureBusiness 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 operation1962 September Construction of Suzuka Circuit was completed / operation began1963 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 held1964 September Skill training for police officers with motorcycle and automobile began at Suzuka Circuit1978 July The first Suzuka 8-hour Endurance Motorcycle Race was held1987 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 held1992 April Racing School (SRS) opened at Suzuka Circuit2000 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, PresidentCapital Investment: 5 billion yenCapitalization Ratio: 100% Honda Motor Co., Ltd.Headquarter Location: TokyoBusiness Facility: 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 operation1998 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 opened1999 April FIM Motorcycle Road Race World Championship was held for the first time.2000 July "Hello Woods" began activities2003 April Indy Racing League was held for the first time
Contact
Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
Corporate Communications Division
Corporate_pr@hm.honda.co.jp
Telephone: +81-(0)3-5412-1512
Facsimile: +81-(0)3-5412-1545
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