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Former Toyota Motor Corp President and Chairman Eiji Toyoda, a key figure in firm’s rise to become one of the world’s biggest carmakers, died on Tuesday, the company said. He was 100.
Toyoda died of heart failure at the Toyota Memorial Hospital in Toyoda city, central Japan, where the car giant’s headquarters is located.
A member of Toyota’s founding family, Toyoda served as President of the company from 1967 to 1982. He promoted the “Toyota Way,” a manufacturing method enabling high production efficiency, helping the firm catch up with US car giants such as Ford Motor Co and General Motors Co.
Toyoda set up the country’s first plant dedicated to passenger car production, building the base of Toyota’s business. He also drove the introduction of the Crown, the first Japan-made sedan, unveiled in 1955, and the Corolla in the 1960s, which became one of the most popular cars of all time.
In the late 1980s, Toyoda was involved in the carmaker’s decision to embark on its car production in the United States for the first time.
He served as Chairman until 1992, and then honorary Chairman until he was made honorary adviser in 1999.
Until recently, Toyoda continued to offer advice to Toyota executives despite health problems.
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