Construction Begins on Woven City: Breaking Ground at Akio's Promised Ceremony

In the heart of Japan, a new chapter is being written on the land once occupied by the historic Higashi-Fuji Plant. On February 23, Woven City, a prototype city of the future initiated by Toyota, began its construction.

The Higashi-Fuji Plant, established in the 1960s, was a significant contributor to the growth of Toyota and Japan's motorization. Over the course of its 53-year history, 7,000 members worked at the plant, producing a total of 7.52 million vehicles, including the Toyota Century and JPN Taxi.

Akio, the host of the closing ceremony in December 2020, made a promise during his remarks. He pledged to create a city that prioritizes the happiness and well-being of its residents, a promise he has made to the community and future inhabitants.

The Connected City concept, initially a personal idea of Akio, aims to be a large-scale demonstration experiment for autonomous driving. It is intended to contribute to the future of automobiles for the next 50 years.

Woven City was built on the place and history woven into the future by the members who worked at the Higashi-Fuji Plant. Akio promised that Woven City will try various new things to bring happiness to people, weaving the plant's spirit and history into the future.

The groundbreaking ceremony for Woven City was held at the old vehicle yard adjacent to the former Higashi-Fuji Plant of Toyota Motor East Japan. Akio mentioned the DNA of the Higashi-Fuji Plant, which includes the spirit of kaizen, the attitude of working for others, and the heart of embracing diversity and inclusion.

Woven City was initiated with the aspiration to be a best-in-town company that people in the local community love and rely upon. Akio made a promise to James Kuffner and his team members at Woven City to keep the city always human-centered.

The Connected City concept is still at a conceptual stage but, with the will, can become a reality. Akio's idea for transforming the Higashi-Fuji Plant into a Connected City was first proposed in July 2018. The city promises to be a testament to Toyota's commitment to innovation and its dedication to creating a better future for all.