Japanese radio announcer assaulted by Mitsubishi engineer at Hall of Fame ceremony

According to reports from Japanese media, a shocking and uncharacteristically rowdy scene unfolded at a automotive industry event in Tokyo last night. The Hall of Fame induction ceremony for the Japan Organization of Kuruma Engineers (kuruma is Japanese for “car”) was supposed to a jovial occasion, but the festivities ended with a Mitsubishi engineer assaulting a minor celebrity.

The incident occurred during a portion of the ceremony in which host Kousa Ganseki, a Tokyo-area radio personality, was announcing the inductees for crankshaft technology. He looked over at a section of Mitsubishi Motors engineers and made what seemed like a light-hearted jab. “Hey, Mitsubishi,” Ganseki quipped, “Don’t walk away during this part,” a reference to the common crank walk flaw in 4G63 engines.

Suddenly, Mitsubishi engineer Ishi Kajiya approached the stage, walked up to Ganseki, and smacked him across the face before walking back to his seat. At first attendees were shocked, believing it to be part of a skit. As it turns out, Kajiya was the 4G63 engineer responsible for the engine’s thrust bearings. Ganseki continued his hosting duties, but the situation was complicated 20 minutes later when Kajiya was honored for his work on the Legnum VR-4.

Kajiya accepted his award, giving a tearful and rambling speech in which he apologized to the Japan Organization of Kuruma Engineers and his fellow inductees but, notably, not to Ganseki. The rest of the event carried on without incident. No charges were filed.

While it seemed that Kajiya wildly overreacted, footage has since surfaced that reveals Ganseki has often made jokes at Mitsubishi’s expense. In 2017 he teased Mitsubishi about the Eclipse Cross, commenting that “this is the worst revival of a beloved nameplate since the Dodge Challenger.” That same year he zinged Mitsubishi’s West Coast Customs tribute to its first car, laughing uncontrollably while remarking, “You’ve been pimped! You’ve been pimped!”

The beef seems can be traced all the way back to 2016, when Ganseki joked about how Mitsubishi had let themselves be taken over by Nissan in a plot hatched by a despotic expansionist, saying, “Your company is so broke you could probably be taken over by an international fugitive who flees Japan in a musical instrument container.”

When asked for comment, a Mitsubishi spokesperson replied, “With all that’s going on in the world today, don’t you people have more important things to care about than two grown men fighting?”

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9 Responses to Japanese radio announcer assaulted by Mitsubishi engineer at Hall of Fame ceremony

  1. Fashion Victim says:

    Perhaps he is jumping on the will smith bandwagon ?

  2. BlitzPig says:

    Yawn.

    Who cares?

  3. Steve says:

    Perfect! Especially the last comment.

  4. Crown says:

    Thanks for starting this Will Smith.

  5. Ian G. says:

    I have every right to slap him too as I had that very same engine and issues in my ’91 Eclipse GST. We don’t talk about crank walk!

  6. Alan says:

    Isn’t there a little Kousa Ganseki in all of us? The man speaks truth to power, with humor and fearlessness. Bravo.

    From here on, whenever speaking on the issue of 4G crank walk, I’ll remember the prima donna engineer responsible. It’s been a clown shoe for decades, the scene described above fits in perfectly.

  7. Iwakuni91 says:

    Ok people, there were several dead give away here:
    1) It’s April 1st
    2) We’re talking about a Japanese engineer slapping a radio host…in public.
    3) Defunct Mitsubishi winning an engineering award for an ICE vehicle. Really?
    4) They referenced Carlos “Gone Baby, Gone” Ghosn; the joke that keeps on giving.
    5) Crankshaft Technologies? 🤣🤣🤣
    6) Did I mention we’re talking about the Japanese…in public?

    I would say that you couldn’t make this stuff up, but I digress.

    Bravo JNC, bravo.

  8. slow3.0 says:

    Just to add to Iwakuni’s comment…. Japan Organization of Kuruma Engineers: J.O.K.E.

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