Toyota COMPANY 2011 -Toyota Pres: Made in Japan, Stay in Japan
Toyota COMPANY 2011 -Toyota Pres: Made in Japan, Stay in Japan
Toyota Motor Corp. President Akio Toyoda said Wednesday the company will reorganize manufacturing functions to increase efficiency at domestic auto assembly units. But the president’s announcement, peppered with lofty expressions about how committed it is to the Japanese market, was as much about what the country’s largest auto maker did not do: move operations overseas.
As Japan Inc. continues to take hits from the rising yen onlookers speculated whether Toyota would move operations abroad. The yen’s relentless rise is a sharper sting for Toyota because nearly half of its global sales volume consists of cars made in Japan, more so than other domestic rivals.
In announcing the production revamp Mr. Toyoda, speaking from the company’s headquarters in Nagoya, was effusive in emphasizing the company’s commitment to its home base. Mr. Toyoda reinforced the message by repeatedly calling on his favorite expression to describe his global vision and the title of Wednesday’s announcement: “Japan’s mono-zukuri.” He references a term that roughly translates as making things the Japanese way, but still begs the best of linguistic minds to properly convey the intangible meaning of the word so often utilized by Mr. Toyoda and other Japanese corporate leaders. The five other Toyota executives who flanked the president put the term to heavy use as well.
Mr. Toyoda said the company has requested the government to take steps to give Japan Inc. a more level playing field with global competitors, referring to Japan’s stalled decision to join the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a regional trade framework.
But in the meantime, the chief executive said the company will do all that it can to deal with the “tough situation” at home.
“Toyota group is a global company that was born and raised in Japan. I do not think that we should give up so easily on mono-zukuri in Japan because the environment is a disadvantage,” he said, adding that it’s not merely a feeling, but something he’d like to back up with actions strengthening the home base and technology.
Piling onto his effusions about “dreams” and “hopes” for Japan Mr. Toyoda said the keyword for Wednesday’s announcement would be another oft-used phrase by the auto maker’s scion: “All Toyota, All Japan.”
Toyota Motor Corp. President Akio Toyoda said Wednesday the company will reorganize manufacturing functions to increase efficiency at domestic auto assembly units. But the president’s announcement, peppered with lofty expressions about how committed it is to the Japanese market, was as much about what the country’s largest auto maker did not do: move operations overseas.
As Japan Inc. continues to take hits from the rising yen onlookers speculated whether Toyota would move operations abroad. The yen’s relentless rise is a sharper sting for Toyota because nearly half of its global sales volume consists of cars made in Japan, more so than other domestic rivals.
In announcing the production revamp Mr. Toyoda, speaking from the company’s headquarters in Nagoya, was effusive in emphasizing the company’s commitment to its home base. Mr. Toyoda reinforced the message by repeatedly calling on his favorite expression to describe his global vision and the title of Wednesday’s announcement: “Japan’s mono-zukuri.” He references a term that roughly translates as making things the Japanese way, but still begs the best of linguistic minds to properly convey the intangible meaning of the word so often utilized by Mr. Toyoda and other Japanese corporate leaders. The five other Toyota executives who flanked the president put the term to heavy use as well.
Mr. Toyoda said the company has requested the government to take steps to give Japan Inc. a more level playing field with global competitors, referring to Japan’s stalled decision to join the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a regional trade framework.
But in the meantime, the chief executive said the company will do all that it can to deal with the “tough situation” at home.
“Toyota group is a global company that was born and raised in Japan. I do not think that we should give up so easily on mono-zukuri in Japan because the environment is a disadvantage,” he said, adding that it’s not merely a feeling, but something he’d like to back up with actions strengthening the home base and technology.
Piling onto his effusions about “dreams” and “hopes” for Japan Mr. Toyoda said the keyword for Wednesday’s announcement would be another oft-used phrase by the auto maker’s scion: “All Toyota, All Japan.”
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