Lynn Martin's Statement on Working with MMMA to Address Sexual Harassment

30 April 1997

    WASHINGTON, April 29 -- The following is a statement issued
by Lynn Martin, Former Secretary of the U.S. Department of Labor:

    Last May, I was asked by Mitsubishi Motors Manufacturing of America, and
its Chief Executive Officer, Tsuneo Ohinouye, to help Mitsubishi create a
model workplace at its plant in Illinois.  A short time later, I was asked by
Tohei Takeuchi, President of Mitsubishi Motors Sales of America to help that
company expand economic opportunity to women and to minorities.
    In the past year, the commitment of both these company leaders to the
goals we set out has remained strong and clear.
    At MMMA, Mr. Ohinouye has been an agent for change.  When I began my work,
Mr. Ohinouye pledged on his honor to cooperate fully with our work, and to
implement the changes recommended to the company.  He has kept that pledge.
Each recommendation scheduled to be implemented this quarter is on schedule or
is ahead of schedule.  As Mr. Ohinouye moves to his new position, helping both
companies ensure accelerated progress, and to make these changes part of his
legacy at Mitsubishi, I know he will be an enormous help.
    Tsuneo Ohinouye has, in the time I have known him, never stepped away from
doing the difficult things.  I look forward to continuing to work with him.
    Although the challenges at MMSA have been different, Tohei Takeuchi has
provided the vision, energy, and creativity to help MMSA set leadership goals
not only for foreign-owned auto companies, but for the entire industry.
    MMSA, under Mr. Takeuchi's direction, has committed itself to a major
program of economic opportunities for women and minorities.  He has pledged,
and is now puffing in place a program, to raise MMSA's dealership body from
10 percent to 15 percent women and minority ownership over the next five
years.  And MMSA has developed programs to ensure that these new dealerships
succeed in the marketplace.  In just the past two weeks, MMSA also announced a
partnership with the United Negro College Fund to create a scholarship program
to recruit more African-Americans into the leadership of the industry.
    In the past year that I have worked with Mr. Takeuchi he has led his
company on a path that will provide a better future for the men and women who
work at Mitsubishi and who buy its products.
    During this past year I have also developed an extraordinary strong
working relationship with Dr. Hirokazu Nakamura, the Chairman of the Board of
Mitsubishi Motors Corporation.  This has meant that the commitment of Mr.
Ohinouye and Mr. Takeuchi was joined at all times by strong leadership from
Japan itself.  This has been the final ingredient to ensure that progress
would not only begin but be maintained.
SOURCE  Lynn Martin