On April 1, 2026, Toyota Motor Corporation held its entrance ceremony in Toyota City, Aichi. 2,317 new employees gathered in the hall, with expressions reflecting a range of emotions from nervousness to excitement as they looked ahead to the days to come.

New President Kenta Kon extended his congratulations as if speaking to each individual, conveying Toyota’s founding principle of acting for others, a spirit that has supported the company’s progress since its early days.

Then, Executive Vice President Hiroki Nakajima fired up the new GR GT3 on stage, and as the engine roared to life, the atmosphere instantly changed, bringing smiles to the faces of the new employees.

President Kon accepted a pledge from representatives of the new employees and warmly encouraged them to, "work hard together with 70,000 colleagues in Japan and 380,000 around the world!"

After the ceremony, Chairman Akio Toyoda said, "They’re so young. The atmosphere was great—it really felt refreshing.” He added, “Young people are the ones who will lead the future. Study hard, work hard, and hey, love cars."

In the video, a new employee who met Chairman Toyoda at Fuji Speedway last summer—then still a prospective hire—reappears, as they are interviewed after the ceremony and share their honest reflections, when a certain someone stops by…