Toyota Announces North American Manufacturing and R&D Executive Appointments

ERLANGER, Ky., June 26 -- Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) announced the following North American appointments today:

-- Mr. Tetsuo Agata was appointed president and chief operating officer of Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc. (TEMA) and was promoted to senior managing director of TMC.

-- Mr. Shigeki Terashi was appointed executive vice president of TEMA, president of Toyota Technical Center (TTC) and was promoted to managing officer of TMC.

Mr. Agata, most recently executive vice president, R&D / Manufacturing Company, Toyota Motor Europe, replaces Mr. Seiichi Sudo. Mr. Sudo has been named president of Toyota Motor Kyushu, Inc. in Japan.

Mr. Terashi, most recently chief executive engineer Toyota Development Center 1, in Japan, replaces Mr. Yasuhiko Ichihashi. Mr. Ichihashi will return to TMC where he will assume new responsibilities in global R&D activities as a senior managing director.

About Toyota

Toyota established operations in North America in 1957 and will operate 15 manufacturing plants in North America by 2010. There are more than 1,700 Toyota, Lexus and Scion dealerships in North America which sold more than 2.9 million vehicles in 2007. Toyota directly employs over 42,000 in North America and its investment here is currently valued at more than $19 billion, including sales and manufacturing operations, research and development, financial services and design. Toyota's annual purchasing of parts, materials, goods and services from North American suppliers totals more than $30 billion.

Toyota currently produces 10 vehicles in North America, including the Avalon, Camry, Corolla, Matrix, Sienna, Solara, Sequoia, Tacoma, Tundra and the Lexus RX 350. Late this year, a new plant in Ontario will begin building the RAV4, and in 2010, a new plant in Mississippi will build the Highlander. By 2010, Toyota will have the annual capacity to build approximately 2.2 million cars and trucks, 1.49 million engines and 425,000 automatic transmissions.