These come in Two levels of status. Those made by a few established toy companies such as 'TOY NOMURA' (TN logo) and 'ICHIMURA' (usually showing an Indian Chief's head logo), of course made in Japan, or un-branded and only showing the MADE IN JAPAN script.
Both types are very cheaply made specially for the retailers who sell their goods on open markets for mere pennies, hence the general name of 'Penny Toys' for these toy cars and other vehicles. Not all of them were friction powered, usually only the 'Branded' toys have it.
Very few were based on actual prototypical car designs as it was just a toy and so a generic look was enough to suggest it was a car in Police, Fire, Ambulance or TAXI trim.
Similar toys in America were marketed as 'ARGO', below.
![ARGO, America..JPG](./download/file.php?id=23546&sid=e9277e23d6765d8a8a393b6c7848610f)
- ARGO, America..JPG (29.6 KiB) Viewed 4713 times
England from GTP, below...
![GTP, England..jpg](./download/file.php?id=23543&sid=e9277e23d6765d8a8a393b6c7848610f)
- GTP, England..jpg (57.8 KiB) Viewed 4713 times
...and England again from METTOY, below.
![METTOY, South Wales..jpg](./download/file.php?id=23544&sid=e9277e23d6765d8a8a393b6c7848610f)
- METTOY, South Wales..jpg (50.81 KiB) Viewed 4713 times
GTP (Glam Toy Products) and Mettoy were made in South Wales.
Ghosthunter.