James E. Press Named Chief Operating Officer of Toyota Motor Sales, USA, Inc.

    DETROIT, Jan. 8 Toyota Motor Sales, USA, Inc. (TMS)
announced today that James E. Press has been named executive vice president
and chief operating officer in charge of all corporate operations.  In
addition to his current duties, including the Toyota and Lexus sales
operations, Customer Services Division, Toyota Industrial Equipment Division,
planning and development and external affairs, Press will assume
responsibility for finance, administration, and legal operations.
    "The position of chief operating officer will provide a consolidated
reporting structure allowing for more efficient and streamlined
decision-making," said TMS President and CEO Yoshimi Inaba.  "In addition, the
choice of a North American executive to fill this role is a very important
step forward in Toyota's efforts to assign more responsibility to American
management."
    Press joined TMS in 1970 and has worked in a wide variety of positions
including the service, marketing, product planning, market representation,
advertising and distribution departments.  His field experience includes an
assignment with Southeast Toyota Distributors, Inc. and he has been general
manager for the San Francisco and Cincinnati Toyota regions.
He also has served as senior vice president of corporate planning and senior
vice president and general manager of the Lexus Division.
    Press is the current Chairman of the Board of the Alliance of Automobile
Manufacturers, a 13-member coalition of vehicle manufacturers in the United
States.  He also is an officer of Toyota Motor North America, an umbrella
organization that oversees all Toyota operations on this continent.