Shoichiro Toyoda, Toyota founder’s son, passes away at 97

Shoichiro Toyoda, the son of the founder of Toyota, has died at the age of 97.

The son of Shoichiro Toyoda, honorary chairman and founder of Toyota Motor Corporation, has died. he was 97 years old. Toyoda died of heart failure on Tuesday, Toyota said in a statement. Shoichiro is the eldest son of Kiichiro Toyoda, who founded the company in 1937. Akio Toyoda, current chairman, former president and CEO, will succeed him. Shoichiro Toyoda is often revered as the driving force behind Toyota’s global growth. He took over as president in his 1982 and helped direct the company’s growth in international markets, particularly in the United States, where Toyota has become synonymous with quality and durability.

When Kiichiro Toyoda said he wanted to start building cars in 1933, people were skeptical. At that time, Japan had only imported cars such as GM and Ford.

Today, the Toyota Way, a production method that allows every worker to control quality, is considered the best in the automotive industry. Toyota, which makes Prius hybrids, Camry sedans and luxury Lexus models, is one of the world’s leading automakers in vehicle sales. 

Toyota has had many CEOs who were not members of the founding family, but the company relied on the legacy and historical charisma of the founding family to weather the crisis.

Shoichiro Toyoda was incorporated in the United States in 2007. He was inducted into the Automotive Hall of Fame for his work in cementing “Toyota’s reputation as one of the world’s most famous and celebrated automakers.”

He graduated from the Faculty of Engineering, Nagoya University in 1947 and joined Toyota Motor Corporation in 1952.

He earned the respect of his colleagues by working in the factory right next door. This underscored Toyota’s vision of valuing the workplace, what is there, or the ‘job site’ as critical to morale, efficient production, innovation and quality.

Toyota started humblely. It was in a backyard shed that Shoichiro Toyoda’s grandfather, Sakichi Toyoda, invented the automatic loom. 

When Kiichiro Toyoda said he wanted to start building cars in 1933, people were skeptical. At that time, Japan had only imported cars such as GM and Ford.

Today, the Toyota Way, a production method that allows every worker to control quality, is considered the best in the automotive industry. Toyota, which makes Prius hybrids, Camry sedans and luxury Lexus models, is one of the world’s leading automakers in vehicle sales.

Shoichiro Toyoda’s funeral was held for his close relatives. A “farewell” event was planned in his honor at a later date, according to Toyota. Details of other surviving family members were not immediately available.