Toyota Motor Corporation held a press conference on June 3 in response to instructions from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism to investigate applications for model certification. What were Chairman Akio Toyoda's thoughts as he faced this press conference?
On June 3, Toyota Motor Corporation announced the results of an investigation into model certification tests based on instructions from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism. (The investigation is ongoing.)
At a press conference held the same day, Chairman Akio Toyoda and Shinji Miyamoto, Chief Officer of the Customer First Promotion Group, explained the investigation in detail and answered questions from the press.
In the third episode of the Voice-Only Toyota Times News with Chairman Akio Toyoda and Yuta Tomikawa, we spotlight the results of this investigation into model certification testing. Recording took place on June 5, two days after the press conference. Chairman Toyoda once again shared his thoughts.
Chairman Toyoda received the initial report on the investigation results on May 29. In the five days leading up to the press conference, his main concern was "not fanning the flames of anxiety unnecessarily among customers."
In 2010, during a public hearing in the United States, the headline "Runaway Prius" increased customer anxiety in Japan, which is why he felt the need to explain things more carefully this time.
During the Q&A with reporters, he made such statements as "(Eliminating wrongdoing) is impossible," "Et tu, Brutus?" and "In a way, I am personally grateful that these issues have emerged from Toyota." The meaning of these statements is explained once again in the video.
The topic of the "TPS Jishuken (Joint Kaizen Activities)" also came up during the press conference, where the chairman discussed his interpretation of TPS. Details of the activities are soon to be released on Toyota Times News.
Listen as Chairman Toyoda talks for nearly 35 minutes on certification work, a topic covered by many media outlets.
*The six cases involving seven models tested under standards different from national standards (including discontinued models) have been re-tested and shown to meet regulatory performance standards, meaning there is no need for customers to discontinue use.
Opening
Yuta Tomikawa
Greetings, Toyota Times listeners. This is Yuta Tomikawa. This is our third broadcast of the Voice-Only Toyota Times News, and as always, I am joined by Chairman Akio Toyoda. Thank you for joining us.
Chairman Akio Toyoda
Hello, everyone.
Response to the initial report
Tomikawa
Thank you for coming. Let's jump into today's topic.
On Monday, June 3, Toyota announced that in model certification required for mass production of car bodies and engines, there were six cases involving seven types of vehicles produced since 2014－Crown, Isis, Sienta, RX, Corolla Fielder, Axio, and Yaris Cross－where testing methods differed from national standards.
I'd like to ask why you and the chief officer appeared at the press conference. I think most people would want to avoid taking the heat.
Akio
First, who would attend and how we would explain things were decided at an earlier board meeting.
That is where I first learned about the cases. I was then told to explain them at the press conference. Honestly, I thought, "What?"
I've also attended the TPS Jishuken (Joint Kaizen Activities) since January 30.
Tomikawa
You've acted as the group leader.
Akio
Still, being told I had to do it, with me versus the outside directors and auditors, was a bit shocking and disappointing.
During the public hearing (in the United States), the company told me not to say anything, so I was by myself. This time, I was told I had to do it, but I was by myself again. Honestly, it felt like, "Here we go again..."
But once I was given the role, I decided to announce it the next day. The meeting was on May 29, so we decided to hold the press conference on May 30 or 31.
Since the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism was going to announce it on June 3, I thought we would have to wait until then to avoid causing unnecessary concern.
After the Group Vision on January 30, we started TPS Jishuken among the four companies of Daihatsu, Hino, Toyota Industries, and Toyota Motor Corporation.
Tomikawa
Akio Toyoda’s Juku on TPS Jishuken.
Akio
I wondered, "What is certification? What is the workflow for certification? Is there anyone who actually understands it?"
For my own understanding as well, I looked into what information was used, what the workflow was, and what standards were used to move on to the next process for everything from planning, development, manufacturing, and sales to certification work.
A mid-term report was scheduled for May 31, so I thought it would be clearer to look at that first and called in the quality manager to start a small-scale investigation into what had happened.
This made me realize how things were. I shouldn't really say this, but when people hear "wrongdoing" or "false statements," they imagine something terrible.
Tomikawa
It really sounds bad.