AP: Japan worried that Toyota woes could hurt US ties (graph of drop in interest in brand)

[Omaha Steve]

http://apnews.excite.com/article/20100212/D9DQUAF80.html

Feb 12, 6:33 PM (ET)

By MALCOLM FOSTER

TOKYO (AP) - As pressure intensifies for Toyota's chief to testify before Congress about the automaker's safety lapses, Japanese political leaders and experts worry that the problem - if handled poorly - could damage ties between the two nations.


Master Diagnostic Technician Kurt Juergens, of Foxborough, Mass., prepares a Toyota Prius for brake system diagnostic and repair in the repair shop of a Toyota dealership, in Norwood, Mass., Tuesday, Feb. 9, 2010. Toyota announced early Tuesday it would recall about 437,000 Prius and other hybrid vehicles to fix brake problems. There have been about 200 complaints in Japan and the U.S. about a delay when the brakes in the Prius were pressed in cold conditions and on some bumpy roads. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)


Relations between Washington and Tokyo are already strained by a dispute between the two governments over the relocation of a key U.S. Marine base on the southern island of Okinawa.

Political tension rose a notch Thursday when a Republican in the House of Representatives said he would support issuing a subpoena to compel Toyota President Akio Toyoda to appear before congressional committees later this month to examine the company's string of safety problems.

Toyota said Toyoda is expected to visit the U.S. in early March, but the company declined to confirm Japanese media reports that he would attend the Washington hearings. Toyota's North American head, Yoshimi Inaba, will appear before the committees, the company said.


Graphic shows auto information web traffic changes before and after the Toyota recall


Even before the world's biggest automaker announced its latest recall Tuesday of nearly 440,000 Prius and other hybrids, bringing its global total to 8.5 million vehicles for faulty gas pedals and brakes, Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada expressed concern about that the problem could become a political headache.

Futher underscoring Toyota's woes, the automaker said Friday it is recalling about 8,000 Tacoma pickup trucks from the 2010 model year to fix a problem with the front propeller shaft that could cause the vehicle to lose control.

FULL story at link.

[dipsydoodle]

1. Whatever

Wouldn't bother me none if they shut down all USA production and simply stopped selling there. They employ how many people in the USA ?

[Cass]

2. From their website --

Direct Employment - 33,400
Indirect Employment - 163,7001
http://www.toyota.com/about/our_business/our_numbers/

You're not from the US....I'm guessing that's why it wouldn't bother you if Toyota shut down all USA production thereby putting close to 200,000 people out of work.

[NNN0LHI]

4. Wouldn't bother me if they shut down all US production

I wish they would quit dumping their "guest worker" made junk here too.

American Union automakers will be happy to ramp up production to fill the void.

Whats the unemployment rate in Japan during this worldwide recession by the way?

Don

[dipsydoodle]

6. 5.1%.apparently

In here somewhere : http://www.stat.go.jp/english/

[madrchsod]

3. toyota`s problem just with safety....

their cars are stale inside and out. both gm and ford have automobiles that have better styling,fit and finish,and mpg figures. the koreans are bringing in auto that are several thousand less than toyota with accessories that are only available on the lexus class autos. the 8,000 propeller shafts? someone in toyota`s qc dept dropped the ball on that or the purchasing dept got a deal they could`t turn down....maybe a well known indian automobile parts supplier? another suspension parts disaster for toyota?

toyota has only themselves to blame for their disasters...

[dipsydoodle]

9. Only if Dana Corporation

is the well known Indian auto parts maker of which you speak. Are they Indian - now ?

[spoony]

11. You certainly have been carrying a lot of Toyota water today.

I love how you're still on the floor mats in another thread, lol.

[dipsydoodle]

12. Just coming and going

I've actually spent most of today finding jazz and blues tracks on Youtube....lol.

Out of interest the floor mat problem seems to have been overcome here with some sort of spacing washer being fitted to the gismo which was affected. Apart from that I've read they're fitting hooks to prevent the mat from sliding. My last two cars had those anyway , Nissan X-Trail and Honda CRV , and my current Wrangler Unlimited has the hooks too.

Given the amount of publicity I think anyone would've chucked the slip mats out by now anyway.

:hi:

[wilt the stilt]

5. do you really want to see southern republican senators

head explode?

[wilt the stilt]

7. I'm waiting for my lecture

from Republican senators on why American cars and workers are terrible.

[safeinOhio]

8. New Toyota, meet the old GM

Get big and then fall apart. Only I don't see any government bail outs left over for you. You'd better stop all the spending on PR and lobbyist and return to being a company that is customer driven. Looks like Pirus brakes are the new Pinto gas tanks and Covair design.

The best thing Toyota could do now is cut the company in half and only focus on product.

[Omaha Steve]

10. Just posted in LBN

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x4267857

Pending closure of Toyota plant in California protested

This is their only unionized plant in the US. Why THIS plant, not one in the South?

[Imajika]

14. Errr, why is this one so special?

"Why THIS plant, not one in the South?"

So which southern workers would you like to put on the unemployment line instead?

Are we really going to pit CA workers against workers in other states?

If Toyota really needs to close a plant and is not just union busting, I would imagine they would close the one that is the least cost efficient. Would they save more money closing the CA plant than one in the South? If so, why shouldn't they shut it as opposed to one in the South?

[ingac70]

15. Cheaper labor...

But you get what you pay for, and Toyota is finding that out.

[heli]

13. 2002 may have been the best Toyota vintage ever

before they converted everything to drive-by-wire and keyless ignition.

[ingac70]

16. They have had problems with ...

sudden acceleration since '99.