During a special Toyota Times News live broadcast on January 26, 2023, Akio Toyoda announced that he was stepping down as president of Toyota and would take a new position as chairman.
Immediately after that live broadcast, Toyota Times also interviewed Akio, giving him a chance to speak about his feelings in that moment. However, that footage was never released.
Now, two years later, we are posting that video for the first time. From assuming his role as president in 2009, Akio Toyoda worked to change Toyota while being surrounded by adversity and loneliness. This candid interview is a rare look back at his 5,000 days as president.
As the president “closest to the front lines,” Akio Toyoda brought the essence of Toyota back to the company. In this video, he looks back at his days as president, revealing struggles he hasn’t discussed elsewhere. Watch to the end!