Toyota Motor Corporation’s General Shareholders’ Meeting took place at the company’s headquarters in Toyota City, Aichi. For the first time since 2009, Chairman Akio Toyoda attended as a respondent, with President Koji Sato chairing the session.
The meeting, attended by 4,656 shareholders, covered various topics, including stakeholder returns, diversity, and Toyota’s ongoing commitment to carmaking. A significant portion of the discussion focused on the recent model certification issues announced on June 3.
President Sato addressed the attendees before fielding questions, expressing sincere apologies to customers and shareholders for any concern or inconvenience caused by the certification problems. He explained that Japan’s certification system ensures products meet safety and environmental standards through specific measurement methods. However, some vehicles were mass-produced and sold without proper certification processes.
President Sato emphasized that Chairman Toyoda is actively leading efforts to rectify these issues, working directly at the genba (the shop floor) to ensure improvements. Chairman Toyoda and Customer First Promotion Group Chief Officer Shinji Miyamoto previously detailed the circumstances behind the certification issues, with Toyoda personally involved in visualizing and improving certification workflows.
In January, Chairman Toyoda introduced a Group vision to address similar issues at Hino Motors, Daihatsu, and Toyota Industries Corporation. He has since engaged in candid dialogues with genba leaders and attended dealer meetings to understand and address concerns from the ground up.
During the meeting, shareholders questioned the thoroughness of Toyota’s investigation, particularly why the issues were not identified alongside those at other Group companies. Concerns were also raised about the potential impact on Toyota’s management strategy.
Executive Vice President Hiroki Nakajima reassured shareholders that Toyota’s multi-pathway strategy, which includes a range of powertrain options catering to different regional energy conditions and customer needs, remains unaffected.
Keiko Yanagi, Deputy Chief Officer of the Customer First Promotion Group and non-executive director at Daihatsu, highlighted her active involvement in the genba and ongoing communication efforts throughout the investigation. Yanagi’s participation in TPS Jishuken sessions on the production floor underscores Toyota’s commitment to addressing and resolving the certification issues comprehensively.
The meeting concluded with a reaffirmation of Toyota’s dedication to upholding high standards of safety and environmental compliance, ensuring such issues do not recur.
