Acura is the luxury vehicle division of Japanese automaker Honda Motor Company. The Acura brand has been used in the US, Canada, and Hong Kong since March 1986 to market Honda's luxury and performance vehicles and near-performance vehicles. The Acura brand was introduced to North America partly because Japan imposed Voluntary Export Restraints for the USA market, and it presented an opportunity for Japanese manufacturers to export more expensive cars. The brand was introduced to Mexico in 2004 and to China in 2006. Honda's plans to introduce Acura to the Japanese market have been repeatedly delayed: the 2008 launch date was postponed to an undetermined date.