It was founded in April 1967 and serves as a platform for the automakers of Japan to share technological developments and management practices.

Together, the companies of JAMA hold a vast share of the markets in the United States, Europe, and many developing countries.

Other than limited sales of the Infiniti Q45 these brands were only available outside Japan until 2005, when Lexus was introduced to the Japanese domestic market ("JDM").

In Japan, there are also numerous small car manufacturers, coachbuilders, and tuning companies.

Companies such as Mitsuoka, Spoon Sports, and HKS build production vehicles, sports cars, or one-off concepts in much smaller quantities than the major carmakers, therefore they are not included in JAMA.