Japan
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Page creation 13/04/2008
All rights reserved DSinAsia 2006-2011, except otherwise indicated
The December
2005 issue of "Car
Magazine" shows
beautiful photos of
two black DS, shot
one rainy evening in
Tokyo. One of them
belongs to Akito
Suzuki, a Citroen
fan who also started
to count the DS
existing in Japan.
2005 issue of "Car
Magazine" shows
beautiful photos of
two black DS, shot
one rainy evening in
Tokyo. One of them
belongs to Akito
Suzuki, a Citroen
fan who also started
to count the DS
existing in Japan.
Suzuki-san, nicknamed "French-kun" by the
Citroen community in Japan ("kun" meaning
something like "young man"), at 33 years
old, has difficulties to count all the Citroen
cars he already owned so far... Around
twenty he concludes, with some CX, 2CV,
SM, XM (eight of them), BX break, and
three DS.
Today his only DS is this one, imported from
France about seven years ago. A 1967
DS19, it is said to have been used by the
Paris City Hall. He drives it only
occasionally, being kept busy with the
webdesign company he just started.
Citroen community in Japan ("kun" meaning
something like "young man"), at 33 years
old, has difficulties to count all the Citroen
cars he already owned so far... Around
twenty he concludes, with some CX, 2CV,
SM, XM (eight of them), BX break, and
three DS.
Today his only DS is this one, imported from
France about seven years ago. A 1967
DS19, it is said to have been used by the
Paris City Hall. He drives it only
occasionally, being kept busy with the
webdesign company he just started.
Above: two pages from the magazine (click to enlarge), which
features several articles about the DS, at the occasion of the
50th anniversary of its birth. The other DS in the article is
Ishii-san's 1971 DS20, presented separately
See also the magazine's cover
features several articles about the DS, at the occasion of the
50th anniversary of its birth. The other DS in the article is
Ishii-san's 1971 DS20, presented separately
See also the magazine's cover
At the occasion of this 50th anniversary
jubilee in 2005, together with his friend Akira
Komo (see ), he had the idea to start
counting all the DS currently existing in
Japan, via a dedicated webpage, where the
owners could send their car's data on a
voluntary and anonymous basis.
The total figure they reached was 66 cars,
according to the latest update, made on
August, 2006.
jubilee in 2005, together with his friend Akira
Komo (see ), he had the idea to start
counting all the DS currently existing in
Japan, via a dedicated webpage, where the
owners could send their car's data on a
voluntary and anonymous basis.
The total figure they reached was 66 cars,
according to the latest update, made on
August, 2006.
Most of the cars listed are relatively recent imports; and there are only seven pre-1967
models. But "French-kun" warns that many older owners do not have Internet; his own,
personal estimation is that there must be between 100 and 200 DS today in Japan. If we
consider that maybe 1,000 DS have been sold in Japan originally, and that around 6,000
DS are registered today in France, it is certainly not a bad figure. And the number is
increasing; a few individuals and shops regularly imports some from France or the UK (with
right-hand drive).
Link to Sukuki-san's own site (Japanese):
And to the page with the 66-car list (Japanese):
models. But "French-kun" warns that many older owners do not have Internet; his own,
personal estimation is that there must be between 100 and 200 DS today in Japan. If we
consider that maybe 1,000 DS have been sold in Japan originally, and that around 6,000
DS are registered today in France, it is certainly not a bad figure. And the number is
increasing; a few individuals and shops regularly imports some from France or the UK (with
right-hand drive).
Link to Sukuki-san's own site (Japanese):
And to the page with the 66-car list (Japanese):