Updated Tamiya History 1946-2017

May 1946	Established Tamiya Shoji joint stock company in Shizuoka City Shizuka for the purpose of processing and selling of general building materials.
April 1948	A woodworking department is newly established focusing on the promising wooden model. Work on manufacturing and selling model teaching materials is also provided.
June 1953	Eliminate the manufacturing and sales division of general building materials. Started as a wooden model specialized manufacturer.
May 1960	As the first all plastic model assembly kit, 1/800 Battleship Yamato is released.
January 1962	Launched the first No. 1/35 Panther Tank of the motorized plastic model tank.
December 1962	Established Tamiya Plastic Industry Co., Ltd. to make the plastic molding division independent.
January 1967	Published model information magazine Tamiya News No. 1.
January 1968	First exhibition at the world’s largest toy fair, Nuremberg International Toy Fair in Germany (now Spielewalen Messe). By raising 1/12 Honda F – 1, we will raise the evaluation as Tamiya of precision scale and plastic model.
August 1969	Changed the company name to Tamiya model as Tamiya Plastic Industry Co., Ltd. Enhance mold section and molding section.
August 1973	Tamamiya Shoji (Shiga) headquarters building and set factory in Shizuoka City Oshika 628 are completed with 4 stories of reinforced concrete, with a scale of 4500 m².
November 1976	Founder chairman · late era Yoshio Tamimiya Isao 5th etc. It is made into Ruiho.
November 1976	1/12 electric radio control car · Porsche 934 turbo released.
May 1977	Shunsui Tamiya is appointed President and CEO Tamiya Model Co., Ltd.
November 1977	Tamamiya Shoji (Fund) Three-story building and 5,460 m² distribution center are completed in the premises.
October 1978	Tamiya circuit is completed in the adjoining Tamiya Shoji.
October 1978	Established Tamiya Plastic Co., Ltd. with expansion of plastic molding sector.
May 1980	The first exhibition of Tamiya · Modellers Gallery held by Tamiya was held at Tokyo · Tokyu Hands Shibuya store.
December 1980	The Tamiya model new building (headquarter main building) Co., Ltd. is completed in the scale of 6 stories, 7,000 m² on the 3-7 in the shrine of Shizuoka city.
July 1982	The mini 4WD that will be a big hit series later began with Ford Ranger 4 x 4 as the first work.
March 1984	Tamiya Corporation was established with the expansion of business by Tamiya Shoji Co., Ltd. Toshiaki Tamiya is appointed President and Representative Director. Tamiya Co., Ltd. will inherit all the work of Tamiya Shoji until then.
November 1985	Tamiya Plastics Co., Ltd. Ikeda plant started operation.
November 1988	Tamiya Group Founder / Chairman, Yoshio Tamiya, Yozo. (Age of 83 years old)
April 1989	The headquarter building 2 (East Building) headquartered in the Tamiya model headquarters building is completed on the scale of 8 floors above ground and 8,500 m 2 above the basement level.
May 1989	Established Tamiya America in Los Angeles as a local office to expand sales in the USA.
September 1989	Establishment of Tamiya Europe GMBH in Germany · Neuss as sales base ahead of EC integration.
April 1990	The Tamiya second distribution center was completed in Shizuoka City Oshika 915, completed on the scale of 4 stories, 5,317 square meters.
July 1990	Tamiya Hall opens at the Bobington tank museum in England.
December 1990	Integration of Tamiya Co., Ltd. business of Tajima model planning and development etc.
July 1992	Tamiya America’s head office building completed in Orange County, California, Aliso Viejo.
December 1993	Established Tamiya Hong Kong.
September 1994	Established Tamiya Philippines in Cebu Mactan Island special export processing zone in the Philippines.
June 1995	Tamiya scholarship association founded foundation, succeeding Yoshio Tamiya’s wish.
December 1995	The cumulative number of production of mini 4WD series has reached 100 million.
May 1996	Tamiya R & D Center in Kakegawa City in Shizuoka Prefecture Tamiya R & D Center Kakegawa and the Tamiya Kakegawa Circuit is the world’s largest scale with a site area of ​​about 7,000 m² and a total course length of 320 m.
December 1996	Tamiya Europe GMBH moved to Fürth, Germany.
April 1997	In the Philippines, a scholarship system was established for students enrolled at both the University of San Carlos and the University of the Philippines.
November 2000	The 1st Tamiya fair was held at Twin Messe Shizuoka / South Building.
March 2005	Received the 1st Design · Excellent Companies Award from the Japan Industrial Design Promotion Organization.
June 2006	Tamiya Tokyo office opened in Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo.
June 2007	Tamiya America moved from Aliso Viejo, California, to Irvine, California.
June 2008	Tamiya Masayuki Senior Managing Executive Officer is appointed President and Representative Director of Tamiya Corporation. Toshiaki Tamiya President is Chairman and Representative Director.
September 2008	“Tamiya Plastic Model Factory Shimbashi Store” of the official shop opens in Tokyo · Shimbashi. Moved the Tamiya Tokyo office to the same place.
October 2008	Constructed off-road course for RC car and authentic rock crawling field within Tamiya Kakegawa circuit.
April 2012	The Tamiya Scholarship Society has moved from a foundation corporation to a public benefit foundation corporation.
April 2015	“1/1 mini 4WD actual vehicle development project” started. “1/1 Mini 4WD Aero Avante” is released for the first time in October.
June 2016	Tamiya Kakegawa circuit renewed as an all weather circuit.
June 2016	Following the Kumamoto earthquake “Ganbare! Sell Kumamoto Mini 4WD (Kumamon version)”. Donation the entire profit to Kumamoto Prefecture.
February 2017	The world’s largest toy fair, the 68th Spielwalen Messe held in Germany. Tamiya is 50th anniversary of exhibition.
May 2017	Representative Director and President, Masayuki Tamiya, Yozora. (Age of 59)
August 2017	Tamiya Representative Director Chairman Toshiaki Tamiya concurrently serves as President.