Proton is on a mission to improve the production quality of its vehicles – an important aspect in light of its newfound partnership and future goals. In February 2016, Masazumi Ogawa joined as director of quality at Proton, bringing with him over 30 years of work experience during his time at Nissan.
Now, we’re being introduced to Yoshiya Inamori, who joins the national carmaker as its new vice president of manufacturing. Like Ogawa, Inamori also spent a considerable amount of time working at a Japanese carmaker, in this case, Mitsubishi from April 1982 until July, 2017 (more than 35 years).
A graduate (Mechanical Engineering for Production) from the Kyushu University in Fukuoka, Japan, Inamori began his career as an assembly engineer at Mitsubishi Motors Corporation’s (MMC) Nagoya plant, where he was in charge of new product launches.
This involved planning processes for vehicles in production, drawing up specifications, ordering and setting up production equipment, as well as developing a production system programme.
In 1989, he moved to the United States to serve as coordinator of assembly engineering department at the Diamond-Star Motors (DSM) plant in Illinois. Following a four-year stint there, he returned to Nagoya in 1993, and remained there till 2005.
His task then was to manage the consolidation of the plant’s Production Engineering function into one place at Okazaki. This allowed for better communications and workflow, as the R&D facility was much closer. He also enhanced the security at the Nagoya plant.
From 2005 to 2009, he took on the role of vice president of purchasing for the Mitsubishi plant in the Netherlands. He oversaw a cost-reduction exercise and created an improvement programme for production effectiveness at the plant.
Inamori returned to Japan, again, in 2009, to be the chief officer of Russian Project in Mitsubishi. It’s at this point he initiated cross functional teams (CFT) in MMC to harmonise commercial and logistics flow among Japan, France and Russia for SKD production in Russia.
Following that, he assumed the position of vice president of PCMA Rus, a joint venture company between Peugeot and MMC in Russia. This involved managing the plant’s overall operations, along with training 3,000 inexperienced employees.
His time in Russia wasn’t smooth sailing either, as an economic sanction resulting from the Ukranian Crisis in 2014 reduced the plant’s output volume. Inamori was forced to reduce the number of employees in the plant, operating a lean plant and turning it profitable again in 2017.
As Proton and Mitsubishi have had dealings in the past, this isn’t Inamori’s first time in Malaysia, having worked with Proton about 23 years ago for about three months to install new equipment for the production assembly of a new product then.
“I prefer working in foreign countries, because I’ve been working in foreign countries for many years. Of course, for me, working in Japan is okay, but I am now 59 years old, and as you can see my resume, I have worked for Mitsubishi for a long time, 35 years. If I continue again in Mitsubishi, I’m going to reach the retirement age.”
“Usually, in Japan, when we come to retirement age, most (people) work in Japan, but I still really want to challenge some new things. In order to challenge, I work in foreign countries, it’s better for me. When I get some suggestions from the headhunting company, I decided to work in Proton Malaysia,” he replied when asked if he preferred working outside Japan.
On a more personal note, Inamori speaks three languages – English, Japanese and Russian – although we didn’t get a chance to hear the last two during a short interview session with the man. He’s also a tennis player and knows how to play an acoustic guitar.
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Good recruitment. Japan have lots of retiring technical experts that can help Malaysia by giving technical advice. China have been recruiting these people for years. Now just look at their expertise. Not belittling our own people, but we need sifu if we are no good.
We have heard this story every 3 to 4 years since 1985. How Proton is improving itself. How Proton has got new people who will transform the company. How Proton is going to turnaround etc etc
Every launch also we hear the same story from Iswara, Wira, Waja and so on. Proton promises it has turnaround and going to be a top seller with highest quality
Promises promises and promises. That is all. But in reality, Proton has been sucking in total RM20 billion of the rakyat’s money since inception for various bailouts.
Mr Yoshiya Inamori, you need to join the Mandarin classes too.
Why?? This is malaysia, not china.
Cause proton is partially owned by Geely
Geely deals internationally via English bub, unlike them Jepunis
Local manufacturing head more capable and got better understanding of proton culture and local car consumer market.
U mean culture of shoddy workmanship and taking your customer for granted? No thanks
I rather take my money and buy the new Myvi. It is using a Toyota Vios engine. Time tested.
I pay RM50k but indirectly, it is as if I am buying a RM80k Toyota Vios.
Whatfor I pay money for a problematic Campro engine?
Ha ha ha ha like buying Toyota Vios.
Whatfor you pay to have AEB when you still have the 4AT from Toyota’s rejected leftovers. Myvi is still great value across the range but they could do better than a 4 speed in 2017.
Also, unless you’re talking about CFE, the newer Campro has never really been problematic. Thirsty and a bit expensive to maintain but fairly reliable.
You have never used IAFM campro cars then. That IAFM module is crap.
Perodua are still using 4AT (which u say is outdated) but Perodua now has 3 models as EEV. first the axia, secondly Bezza sedan and third is the new Myvi.
Proton only has 1 EEV status, which is Ertiga (a direct rebadged Suzuki MPV). so, Proton’s effort to use Turbo, CVT and HPF body panels are all useless.
perodua successfully achieved EEV status with only 4 speed auto box.
HPF steel useless? Really, are you just gonna ignore the fact that it contributes to better overall occupant protection. If it wasn’t for Proton’s efforts in improving small car safety, Perodua and many other carmakers will still be half-assing their vehicles with sub-par safety features that barely meets the minimum requirement.
Sure, you might say that the Turbo and CVT is useless in providing good fuel efficiency but that wasn’t the point in the original post.
My point was Perodua could do better than just a 4 speed auto, they could very well be using a CVT or a 5 speed and get the same EEV status as they already have. On a car as well-equipped and modern as the Myvi, it’s surprising they’re still sticking to an archaic system for their transmission.
RM50k for Myvi, yes, but you can’t even get 1.5L one, unless poodua produce 1.5 manual version (but remain hope only as Malaysians are too stupid and idiotic to be allowed to drive any cars, 4 speed auto Myvi, PUIK)
Some Chinese companies have been hiring Japanese expertise despite bad relationship & history between the 2 countries. They have been hiring talents and acquiring companies around the world regardless of their nationality. And these companies are growing fast. This is the very one thing that our companies need to change and practice – hire and promote people base on merit and ability, and not race or religion. It’s a long way to go which we might or might not see this to be widely practiced in Malaysia.
Change all those low quality parts supplier, then you have good quality. Question is, dare to change? Can be changed? You know what I mean.
Yes hopefully he will not quit less than 1 year later and pay 4 months salary penalty.
Thats between him & Geely. Why worry, since he still need to pay compensation?
Hope smart & brave CHN and JPN foreign talents could contribute and stay longer than MAS duo. CHANGE is imminent!!
75% of P1 suppliers oso supplies P2.
Stop blaming supplier la. They also supply to other brands. How come only Proton got problem?
I own a Bezza. I’m begining to see sub standard parts in this model.
You praise Proton so high up in all your other posts but driving a Bezza? Cakap tak serupa bikin. No wonder P2 sales is so high.
When you blindly praise a syarikat gagal but still need something reliable to drive to work and back: Middle Age Driver.
Agree. There are many sub standard suppliers.
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Alamak! They hired a retiree and thought that it will bring improvement to p1…wth!
the korean and chinese car companies have been poaching these aging but experienced people from Japan for the last 20 years. look at how far they have come in such a short time.
It was mostly Chinese,
it took quite some time for Korean to get where they are now.
Im not having high hopes then.
I had owned 2 cars (both Eclipses, a 91 and 92) built under his tenure at DSM. Quality isn’t one criteria I would say that stood out…… Hahaha
Read carefully. In DSM, he was just coordinator for plant engineering activity, not quality or production or operations, unlike now.
Drain the swamp, eliminate those useless cronies, ditch campro and punch cvt.
Bring in latest Euro 6 powertrain, people here care most about fc, not syok sendiri handling.
Malaysia has no talented people? Need to hire foreigners?
We tried the DrM approach and see what happened. Time for transformation.
Abis lar… pekerja proton nanti kena tengking dalam 3 bahasa. Geng kita orang cuma tahu 1 bahasa sahaja, bahasa “tidak apa” attitude. Mr.Yoshiya is a hard worker with immense hardworking values and attitude from the land of the rising sun. We still need to import these brilliant people even though we have a total population of 25 million people. Damn shameful.
If this uncle also cannot do well, the problem is from proton it self. Shut down proton is better. Malaysia no need proton anymore. We have perodua that starting to develope their self design. Proton are starting to rebadge geely product that also junk..
wow nice future proton = lotus + mitsubishi + volvo car. Proton boleh ! Malaysia Boleh! very excited future proton’s development. Perodua Bye, Bye! Except toyota give lexus ct200h to perodua rebadge, take out all high tech specs, remain 6 airbags and vsc and structure. 1.5 litres engine + 4 speed okay la! and sell 70-80k sure sell like a hot cake.