President Toyoda's New Year Address - To the Brave Souls who Dared to Advance Forward

Toyota President Outlines Vision for Future in New Year's Address

In a historic New Year's Address on January 9, 2020, Akio Toyoda, President of the Toyota Motor Corporation, gathered nearly 1,600 employees at the Toyota Head Office in Toyota City. The address, open to anyone who wished to attend, regardless of qualifications or job title, marked a significant moment for the company.

President Toyoda began by expressing his gratitude for the Toyota company and its founder, Kiichiro Toyoda. He emphasised the importance of recognising and honouring the contributions of the company's founders, stating that he wants future generations to recognise them as the reason for Toyota's success.

The speech was a call to action, with Toyoda urging a "model change" moment for the company. He identified 2020 as the starting point for this transformation, a year that would see Toyota stepping into uncharted territory.

One of the key components of this transformation is the Woven City, a prototype city where all products and services will be connected. This project, which was first announced at CES 2020 in Las Vegas, is starting amidst a shrinking market for automobiles in Japan.

The Woven City, Toyoda explained, will be a means to create a new Toyota and launch a new model for how they work. He expressed a desire to reduce the number of employees who do not see a connection between their work and the Woven City project.

President Toyoda showed the employees a video of his conversation with the employees of Toyota Motor East Japan's Higashi-Fuji Plant after the decision to close it down. This plant, which underpins Toyota's production of cars, is being closed, but Toyota is not backing down. Instead, it marks the beginning of Woven City.

Toyoda rushed back from Las Vegas to give the New Year's Address, indicating the urgency of his message. He stated that he wants to reward his predecessors who did not receive their due by tackling the challenge of transforming Toyota from an automobile manufacturer to a mobility company.

In his closing remarks, Toyoda called on all employees, stating that Woven City is starting as they enter the new era of "Reiwa" in Japan. He entrusted the employees who have been or are willing to be the ones that "took a step forward of their own free will" with his expectations for the "model change" moment.

Toyoda emphasised that those who attended the New Year's Address did so voluntarily and may be able to sense something others don't. His speech underscored the importance of change and the need for employees to be involved in the transformation of Toyota from an automobile manufacturer to a mobility company.

In his New Year's 2021 speech, Toyoda emphasized the Woven City as a symbol and testbed for Toyota's vision of a smart, sustainable, and connected living environment. He highlighted its importance as a foundation for the company’s future and his strong commitment to innovation. The Woven City, it seems, is more than just a prototype city; it's a beacon of hope for a future where mobility transcends traditional boundaries.

President Toyoda's New Year Address - To the Brave Souls who Dared to Advance Forward