In 1912, Friedrich Reiser was the first Bosch employee to be sent to Japan in order to set up a repair workshop in Yokohama. He sent a report on his impressions to the Bosch-Zünder. He was enthusiastic about the country’s scenic beauty but disappointed that there were no wide roads through this countryside and no cars. At the outset he was mainly occupied with assembling cars from America and then demonstrating them to potential customers by driving through narrow streets teeming with people. He went from garage to garage, showing Bosch publicity pictures and thus succeeding in increasing the demand for Bosch products. The start of World War One in 1914 put a provisional end to his customer-service activities. Mr Reiser was called up for military service. Bosch activities in Japan resumed in 1920. Despite several years as a Japanese prisoner of war, Friedrich Reiser did not regret the time he had spent in Japan, and returned. He and other German colleagues started work with Bosch’s partner company Illies & Co.

In the 1920s, the customer-service network was considerably extended, particularly in order to guarantee the availability of spares for Bosch products in vehicles imported from Germany and other European countries. The main emphasis was on the distribution of electrical equipment for motor vehicles.

In the 1930s, new products such as refrigerators, electric power tools, humidifiers and high-frequency tools for the automobile industry rounded out the range of items offered on the Japanese market. The first licence agreement was concluded in 1939 with Diesel Kiki, being renewed and extended in 1955. During the Second World War, Blaupunkt sold radios to Japan.

Everything belonging to Bosch was confiscated at the end of the war – yet another bitter blow to Bosch in Japan. In 1950, a new start was made. Staff members were once more sent to the Far East. In the 1950s and 1960s, Bosch extended both its after-sales service and distribution activities, particularly in the field of motor-vehicle equipment and electric power tools.

A licence agreement was concluded with the Japanese vehicle-equipment supplier Nippondenso in 1953. This company manufactured, among other things, anti-blocking systems, diesel-injection equipment and electronic gasoline-injection systems under licence from Bosch.

In 1972, Bosch founded a distribution company in Tokyo, Bosch K.K. This is also the liaison point for purchases effected in the Far East, for licensees and joint enterprises.

During the 1970s, activities in the fields of packaging machines, industrial equipment and household appliances were particularly strengthened.

In 1992, Bosch K.K. opened its Technical Centre in Yokohama as an interface to the automobile industry. It is here that extensive testing and measuring equipment check the suitability of Bosch products for the Japanese market.

In 1999, Bosch purchased a participation of over 50% in the Zexel Corporation. This company had manufactured diesel-injection equipment, wing cellules, compressors for vehicle air-conditioning units and hydraulics products under licence from Bosch. On 1st July 2000, Zexel took over the OEM activities of Bosch K.K., simultaneously adopting the new name Bosch Automotive Systems Corporation (RBAJ).

For Bosch, Japan is the third most important market after Europe and the USA. With around 11,400 employees, turnover in 2001 amounted to 2,200 million euro. This makes Bosch one of the top ten manufacturers of vehicle technology in Japan.

Very recently, on 1st July 2002, RBAJ merged with Bosch Braking Systems Co., Ltd. (BSJP) to form the Bosch Automotive Systems Corporation.