Yes, they do. I was joking about the Dot thing. I have several books on their history. Goes back to 1911, Masujuro Hashimoto founded the Kwaishinsha Motor Car Works. His first car was exhibited in 1914. His financial backers names provided the initials for a name. The DAT firm in 1923 merged with Jitsuyo Jidosha Seizo (which means Practical Automobile Manufacturing), and became DAT Jidosha Seizo Company, Ltd. Doesn’t roll off the tongue, does it? In 1933 it was renamed Nissan Motor Company, Ltd. Between then and 1938, they had technical assistance from the American Graham-Paige Motor Car Company. So Americans had an influence on their cars before WWII. Much of the Nissan production facilities were in Manchuria and disappeared into the Russian hands after the war. The Japan facilities were taken over by the Americans, where they allowed resumption of manufacturing of Datsun trucks and cars. In 1949, they took the name Nissan Motor Company, Ltd.
A lot of fascinating history there. I’ve met Yutaka Katayama several times, he was the one who built Nissan Motor Corporation USA, he’s mostly known as Mr. K. He was the founder of the Sports Car Club of Japan in 1951, and simply loved sports cars. He is the main guy who pushed the 240Z and made it popular.
Great history.
The relevant thing I recall from spending most of my life in Minnesota is that Japanese cars had inadequate batteries and were prone to rust in the harsh climate. But they got ahead of the curve, correcting those and other problems while American manufacturers disrespected their customers and their competition.