What is Subaru Japanese?
Subaru is the Japanese name of the carmaker known worldwide as Subaru, and the term also refers to the Pleiades star cluster that inspired the company’s logo.
In Japan, the company uses the Subaru name for branding and corporate identity, and its history includes a transition from Fuji Heavy Industries to Subaru Corporation. This article explains what Subaru means in Japanese, its etymology and symbolism, and how the brand sits in corporate evolution.
Etymology and symbolism of the Subaru name
The following key facts explain the origin of the name and its distinctive logo:
- Subaru is the Japanese name for the Pleiades star cluster, a group of bright stars known in Western astronomy as the Seven Sisters (though the cluster itself is sometimes depicted with six stars in the logo).
- The six-star Subaru logo represents the Pleiades cluster and the six companies that merged to form Fuji Heavy Industries, the company that later became Subaru Corporation.
- In marketing and product branding, the word Subaru is used in Latin letters, while the Japanese name is written as スバル (katakana) or すばる (hiragana) in different contexts.
- The corporate entity currently known as Subaru Corporation is the parent company of the Subaru automobile brand; it was renamed from Fuji Heavy Industries in 2017.
In short, Subaru's name ties a celestial reference to a corporate history, creating a globally recognizable brand rooted in Japanese language and culture.
Corporate identity and milestones
To trace how Subaru came to be the global brand it is today, here are major milestones in its corporate evolution:
- 1953 — Fuji Heavy Industries is formed when six companies merge, setting the stage for Subaru's later branding and manufacturing capabilities.
- 1958 — The Subaru 360 becomes the first mass-produced car under the Subaru brand, marking the start of mainstream automotive production.
- 1989 — Subaru launches the Legacy, signaling a move toward a more modern, global sedan lineup.
- 2017 — The corporate name is changed to Subaru Corporation, while the Subaru brand continues to operate globally.
- 2022 — Subaru introduces the Solterra, its first all-electric SUV, developed in partnership with Toyota.
These milestones illustrate Subaru's emphasis on engineering, all-wheel drive expertise, and a corporate transformation aimed at a global market.
Subaru’s branding and language in Japan
In Japan, the legal corporate name is Kabushiki-gaisha SUBARU (株式会社 SUBARU). The brand name is commonly presented as SUBARU in uppercase Latin letters, with the Japanese name written as スバル (katakana) in signage and marketing. The six-star logo remains a central symbol of the brand's Japanese origin and its global identity.
As a Japanese automaker, Subaru maintains a strong connection to its home market while presenting a uniform global branding that emphasizes reliability, all-wheel drive, and a focus on customer confidence in motion.
Summary
Subaru's Japanese identity blends language, symbolism, and corporate history. The name stems from the Pleiades star cluster, while the six-star logo nods to the partners who formed its corporate backbone. Today, Subaru Corporation stands behind a global automobile brand that continues to emphasize all-wheel drive, safety, and a forward-looking electrification strategy, all rooted in its Japanese origins.
