Chairman Towns, Ranking Member Issa, members of the Committee, thank you for inviting me to testify today. My name is Yoshimi Inaba, and I am the President and COO of Toyota Motor North America and Chairman and CEO of Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc.

As you heard today from Toyota President Akio Toyoda, and as the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations heard yesterday from Jim Lentz, President and Chief Operating Officer of Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Toyota is taking decisive steps to restore the trust of the tens of millions of Americans who purchase and drive our vehicles.

Our 172,000 team members and dealers across North America are making extraordinary efforts to complete our current recalls as quickly and conveniently as possible. We have rigorously tested our solutions and are confident that with these repairs, Toyota vehicles will remain among the safest on the road today. We are also going further, by installing advanced brake override systems in all of our new North American vehicles before the end of 2010 and in an expanded range of existing models as a customer confidence measure, and taking comprehensive steps to ensure strict quality control and increased responsiveness to our customers and regulators in the future.

As you have heard, Mr. Toyoda is leading a top to bottom review of our global quality control processes, and will seek input from independent safety experts to ensure that our processes meet or exceed industry standards. As head of Toyota’s North American operations, I will be closely involved in this review. Working with our new Chief Quality Officer for North America, I also will take responsibility for ensuring that we improve our dialogue with U.S. safety regulators and that we take prompt action on any issues we identify to ensure the safety of American drivers.

In inviting me to testify today, the Committee asked me to address several issues with regard to our recent recalls. Let me summarize my answers here:

Our recent recalls address five separate issues that we have identified with certain Toyota vehicles. In total, some 5.3 million vehicles across 14 models are affected by one or more of these recalls in the United States.

The biggest recalls are for solutions our engineers have developed with regard to two specific mechanical causes of unintended acceleration. One involves all-weather or inappropriate accessory floor mats that when loose or improperly fitted can entrap the accelerator pedal. The other concerns accelerator pedals that can, over time, grow “sticky” with wear in rare instances. The solutions we have developed for both these issues are effective and durable.

With respect to possible accelerator pedal entrapment by the floor mats, Toyota recently designed a vehicle-based change that directly addresses the problem and announced the solution to the public in November 2009 as part of the safety campaign announced on September 29, 2009. Owners of affected vehicles can, in the meantime, drive safely by ensuring that they use only properly secured, appropriate floor mats.

With respect to sticking accelerator pedals, Toyota announced a safety recall in the United States in January to address this issue. The sticking condition does not occur suddenly and if it does, the vehicle can be controlled with firm and steady application of the brakes. We are confident that vehicles whose drivers are not experiencing any issues with their accelerator pedal are safe to drive, and Toyota dealers are rapidly completing the repairs on our customers’ vehicles.

In both of these cases, Toyota thoroughly and carefully evaluated the technical aspects of these issues. However, we now understand that we must think more from a customer first perspective rather than a technical perspective in investigating complaints, and that we must communicate faster, better and more effectively with our customers and our regulators. Our recent, smaller voluntary recalls of certain 2010 Prius and Lexus HS hybrids for a software update to the braking system, certain 2010 Camry cars to inspect a power steering hose, and certain 2010 Tacoma trucks to inspect the front drive shaft all illustrate this new approach.

Chairman Towns, Ranking Member Issa and members of the Committee, I assure you that nothing matters more to Toyota than the safety and reliability of the vehicles our customers drive. We are committed not only to fixing vehicles on the road and ensuring they are safe, but to making our new vehicles better and even more reliable through a redoubled focus on putting our customers first.

SOURCE: http://www.toyota.co.jp/announcement/0224_1.pdf

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YOKOHAMA (Jan. 6, 2010) -Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. announces the release of the new, refined Skyline Sedan and Coupe, which go on sale today at Nissan dealers nationwide.

370GT Type SP 370GT Type SP

The current generation Skyline Sedan and Coupe, introduced in 2006 and 2007 respectively, have enjoyed a strong reputation for their sporty designs, high-quality interiors and exhilarating performance. Both Sedan and Coupe models receive a number of significant changes for the revised model, including a revised exterior for the Skyline Sedan and a refined interior, enhanced navigation system and upgraded air conditioning for both body configurations. In addition, the model grading system has been revised to includes new, more affordable Skyline Sedan 250GT A package and Skyline Coupe 370GT A package models.

Mechanical refinements include the availability of a 7-speed automatic transmission with the 2-wheel drive Skyline Sedan equipped with the 2.5-liter V6 engine. Previously offered only with the 3.7-liter V6 engine, the 7-speed automatic provides an expanded lockup area and neutral idle control for improved fuel efficiency and smoother, seamless acceleration (versus the previous 5-speed automatic-equipped 2.5-liter Sedan). This model achieves the “2010 standards plus 15%” target and qualifies for Japan’s preferential program for environment-friendly vehicles*1, with the acquisition tax and weight tax both reduced by half. Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC) is also now standard across the entire Skyline range.

The Skyline Sedan is one of 19 models*2 collectively called the Nissan Eco series, eligible for government environmental tax breaks. Nissan continues to broaden its lineup of eligible models, including minicars and commercial vehicles, expanding sales.

Source: http://www.nissan-global.com/EN/NEWS/2010/_STORY/100106-02-e.html

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BRENTWOOD, Essex, 18 December 2009 – Kieran Cahill has been appointed the new plant manager of Ford’s Bridgend manufacturing facility following Graham Edwards’ return to Ford Dagenham.

Swansea-born Kieran had been manufacturing manager at the South Wales engine plant since 2006. He now oversees Ford Bridgend’s team of over 2,000 engine production specialists, principally producing small efficient petrol engines for Ford Fiesta and Focus models.

Kieran is continuing a family tradition as his father, Declan, served over 30 years with Ford before retiring as Bridgend’s quality control manager.

Kieran, who joined Ford in 1989 as a sponsored graduate, said: “Bridgend has had a memorable 2009 producing our 15 millionth engine and managing a major increase in production, thanks to vehicle scrappage schemes introduced across Europe. I look forward to Bridgend leading the way in 2010 with the launch of our high-efficiency EcoBoost engine range.”

Graham Edwards, Ford Bridgend plant manager since summer 2007, is moving to Dagenham to manage European transport operations. The 1,000-strong Ford transport team at the company’s East London manufacturing base is part of Graham’s UK-wide and continental operation responsible for shipping Ford vehicles and parts.

Graham, a former Dagenham manufacturing manager, joined Ford as a 16-year-old apprentice electrician. As new European transport operations manager, Graham replaces Chris Woodmore who has been appointed senior purchasing manager for Ford’s global small car programme based in Cologne, Germany.

Source: http://www.ford.com/about-ford/news-announcements/press-releases/press-releases-detail/pr-new-ford-manufacturing-appointments-31631

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New Delhi, India: Having signed a distribution agreement with Precision Motor India Private Limited and Radiant Motorcycles, and following on from the opening of the first Ducati Store in Mumbai, Ducati continues to impact on the Indian market.

On Friday 18th December, and in the presence of a very special guest, India’s second Ducati show room was officially opened for business.

Nicky Hayden, Ducati’s factory rider in the MotoGP Championship, was invited to inaugurate the Ducati Store in Gurgaon, one of the most dynamic and modern districts of the Indian capital. There to welcome Nicky was Ashish Chordia, CEO of Precision Motor India Private Limited, a big Ducati fan who was therefore very happy to have the 2006 MotoGP World Champion present for the event.

Mr Chordia, alongside Mirko Bordiga, CEO of Ducati Asia Pacific, presented Hayden to a large crowd of national journalists and the American rider spoke to them about the experience of being a Ducati rider, his first season with the factory MotoGP team, and his goals for 2010, when he will line up alongside Casey Stoner once again in the fight for the title.

“This event has made me understand the great strategic importance of a market such as India”, Nicky Hayden commented. “It’s great potential and above all, how well Ducati and MotoGP is known, appreciated and how the company is capable of attracting passionate fans, both from a commercial and sporting point of view. I am happy that there is such great interest in us and such anticipation ahead of next season. Last year, after a difficult start, we made continuous improvement towards the end and after the Valencia tests I am very excited for next year and can’t wait to get back on my Ducati.”

“The Ducati brand symbolizes racing success and passion”, Mr. Ashish Cordiasaid, “and we couldn’t have a better testimonial than Nicky’s to reinforce this perception. With the opening of Gurgaon showroom Ducati is now able to reach its customers in both the key markets – Delhi and Mumbai – where we will provide the best level of Sales and After Sales Service available in the market”

Source: http://www.ducaticorsepress.com/index.php?id=175&no_cache=1&tx_ttnews[tt_news]=5343&tx_ttnews[backPid]=172&cHash=ccce09ea48

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Tokyo—TOYOTA MOTOR CORPORATION (TMC) and AISIN SEIKI CO., LTD. (Aisin) announce they will provide a total of 30 residential, solid-oxide fuel-cell (SOFC1) cogeneration systems developed jointly by Osaka Gas Co., Ltd. (Osaka Gas), Kyocera Corporation (Kyocera), TMC and Aisin to five Japanese gas companies, as part of the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization’s (NEDO’s) Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Verification Project2for 2009.

Specifically, TMC and Aisin will provide four SOFC cogeneration systems to Tokyo Gas Co. Ltd., one to Toho Gas Co., Ltd., 23 to Osaka Gas and one to Saibu Gas Co., Ltd. TMC and Aisin have already supplied one to Hokkaido Gas Co., Ltd. Once installation is complete in regular households, the five gas companies will gather data necessary for commercialization.

TMC and Aisin have worked together with Osaka Gas and Kyocera since March 2009 on the development of residential SOFC cogeneration systems. By joining in this verification project to gather data for the research and development of commercially viable systems, they hope to accelerate progress, culminating in the commercialization of residential SOFC cogeneration systems by the first half of the 2010s.

1Fuel cells using ceramic electrolytes. Oxygen is ionized and, by passing through an electrolyte, chemically reacts with hydrogen and carbon monoxide, generating electricity. One of the notable characteristics of this system is that it uses carbon monoxide.

2Begun in 2007; the project’s aim is to install residential SOFC cogeneration systems in regular households to identify future technological development issues based on the data acquired. Unless otherwise noted, years mentioned are from April 1 to March 31.

Source: http://www2.toyota.co.jp/en/news/09/12/1217_1.html

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