During WW2, Hino manufactured tracked vehicles for the Imperial Japanese Army. After the war, they built large trucks for commercial users. So what are they doing building a Renault-designed automobile? Easy, they saw a need and they filled it. Capitalism at work. The Hino Renault 4CV was popular amongst taxi cab drivers, as it was too expensive for private automobile owners, who could not afford to own cars privately.
With its 748cc engine, the Hino Renault 4CV put out 21 horsepower or 15kW.
For a fuller treatment of the partnership between Renault and Hino, read up here: https://www.losangemagazine.com/losange-magazine-issue-18-summer-2022/hino-renault-4cv-1953
