And now, another episode of TL, DR - for those who wish to understand the valid intellectual points of the OP, but do not wish to kill off most of their brain cells to do so:
1. The Japanese firm of H. Tano & Co. were exporters and not manufacturers. Proven fact.
2. There are USITC documents proving that Japanese-made Raleigh bicycles made between 1980 and 1982, carrying N-prefixed serials (not of the previous Nottingham pattern), were manufactured by Matsushˇta/National; rather than H. Tano and Company, as previously believed.
3. The OP postulates that Centurion bicycles of this era carrying N-prefixed serials, previously thought to be manufactured by H. Tano & Co., were in fact manufactured by Matsushˇta/National. This is assumed upon the following two points: A. The Centurions share the same "N" serial system with the Matsushˇta/National Raleighs of the same period,
B. These same bicycles have been attributed, incorrectly, to H. Tano & Co.; an impossibility given their status as exporters.
/thread again
-Kurt