Hello, this is Morizo.

“Toyota Times?” or is it “Toyota-ism?”

Which one is it?

I received the following from an individual who saw a newspaper advertisement on New Year's Day for the new “Toyota Times” in Japan. Upon seeing the name of the publication, it wasn’t clear which one it was, “Toyota Times” or “Toyota-ism” as the words are combined in Japanese. The person wanted to know which one it was.

For those that may not be aware, the “ism” in the “Toyota-ism” interpretation can mean sticking with principles or a specific school of thought, or, a particularity, to use a more familiar term. So let me explain a little further.

We are now living in a revolutionary period, a “once-in-a-century” transformational period.

I think that cars in the future will be connected to all kinds of services that support the lives of towns and people through data and information, and these services will become part of the social system.

The concept of the car itself will change... we are in an era where it is difficult to decipher exactly what is correct.

However, the one thing I know is that “there is no future for us on the conventional path.” In this line of thinking, I made the decision to change Toyota to become a “mobility company.”

This means that Toyota will become a company that provides all kinds of services related to the movement of people. As we endeavor to change, I believe that there are things that should not change; among those that should not change are the so-called “Toyota-isms” which will become more important.

So you might be asking, what is an example of one of these so-called “Toyota-isms”? Well, one example would be our continued goal of making ever-better cars. This, of course, is supported by the unchanging philosophy of the Toyota Production System (TPS).

In addition to this, I think there may be a variety of answers that can be found at the frontlines and at each workplace. Having various “-isms” is a healthy thing. It is because both the company itself and the people working here have “-isms” that we can see their faces, their personality traits and feel the level of energy – wouldn’t you agree?

I also have my own “-ism”.

Mine is a commitment to keep making cars that will become “beloved cars.” Nowadays, cars are one of the few industrial products that can still be called “beloved.” This word, “beloved,” is a word that expresses affection. I want cars to continue being associated with

love for the next 100 years. Maybe together we can lovingly call this a “Morizo-ism.”

Now, let’s talk about the owned media channel “Toyota Times.”

I believe that everyone who saw the advertisement in Japan also discovered the hidden meaning of this phrase. In this ever increasingly important era, for "Toyota Times" as an informational site aiming to convey Toyota as it is, I believe it is critical that we convey both company news and activities as well as the ideas that Toyota continues to be particular about, namely, our “Toyota-isms.”