Chairman Akio Toyoda chose ba (place) as his keyword for 2026. What kind of place is Toyota aiming to be this year? President Koji Sato and Chairman Toyoda shared their New Year's greetings.
On January 7, 2026, at Toyota’s Head Office in Toyota City, Aichi, Chairman Akio Toyoda and President Koji Sato delivered their New Year’s greetings.
President Sato called for 2026 to be a year of an “intentional pause.” Chairman Toyoda, who chose ba as his keyword for 2026, spoke of making it a year of returning to people.
Chairman Toyoda went on to explain that ba also embodies the aspirations of the founders. At the venue, a video traced how a dream has been passed down from Kiichiro to Honorary Chairman Shoichiro, and then to Chairman Toyoda.
Creating a ba for a future mobility society
In order to accomplish this, Chairman Toyoda told the assembled employees, “I hope this year will be one in which you cultivate yourself and continue to grow in your own ba.” This calls back to the chairman’s 2024 speech at the inauguration ceremony of Toyota Battery.
“I believe that the human passion for helping others and for making the world a better place, which is passed down from generation to generation, is the true source of limitless power.”
All 1,480 employees in attendance watched intently to absorb every word from President Sato and Chairman Toyoda. Perhaps it is not just the management team and Chairman Toyoda but also every employee who inherits these shared dreams and passions.