Toyoda apologizes, says automaker must ‘rethink everything’
Toyota Motor Corp. President Akio Toyoda apologized to U.S. lawmakers probing safety lapses and broke down, saying the automaker must overhaul the way it does business to recover.
Toyoda faced questions about a massive recall that has rocked Toyota's reputation and told U.S House members he was "deeply sorry" for accidents and injuries involving its cars.
He said Toyota had lost its way during a period of fast growth but vowed to steer it back to the values that made it a watchword for quality.
Cheered by Toyota plant workers and dealers at an event organized by the automaker Wednesday evening in Washington, Toyoda broke into tears under a giant display bearing the name of the company.
"I believe that Toyota has always worked for the benefit of the United States," Toyoda said. "I tried to convey that message from the heart, but whether it was broadly understood or not, I don't know."
He also offered a sober assessment of the challenges still ahead: "We at Toyota are at a crossroad. We need to rethink everything about our operation."
"It was good that the Toyota president himself appeared before the panel and testified," Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama told reporters in Tokyo on Thursday.
"I don't think this marks the end of everything. He spoke of working to make improvements. This is a matter involving cars -- that affects people's lives -- so the important thing is pay close attention to safety and to fulfill its aim to make improvements where they are needed. I'm hopeful, and I think they will do so."
Japanese Trade Minister Masayuki Naoshima said Toyota's problems could have an impact on the image of Japanese products and that he wanted the carmaker to win back customer trust.
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