Toyota Issues Environmental Guidelines to North American Suppliers

2 August 2000

          
    ERLANGER, Ky. - Toyota Motor Manufacturing North America, Inc. is 
challenging its North American-based suppliers to adopt environmental standards
specified in its "Green Supplier Guidelines: Leadership in Environmental 
Performance" brochure being distributed this month.

    "Toyota has a unique relationship with its suppliers," said Teruyuki
Minoura, TMMNA president and CEO.  "We are known for expecting them to share
our high quality standards.  Now we are asking them to join us in becoming
environmental leaders."

    Toyota's Green Supplier Guidelines extend the company's environmental
commitment beyond its own direct processes to the business relationships and
partnerships it maintains with its North American supplier community.  As part
of the Toyota Supplier Environmental Program, approximately 500 suppliers who
provide parts, materials and components directly or indirectly to Toyota are
required to complete one or more of the following initiatives:

    Obtain ISO 14001 Certification

    Toyota is requiring suppliers who provide raw materials and/or parts and
components to develop and implement by Dec. 31, 2003 an environmental
management system that conforms to the ISO 14001 standard.  Certification is
determined by a third-party auditor.

    Comply with Chemical Ban List

    Toyota has identified approximately 450 chemicals and substances that
suppliers of raw materials must phase out from new and/or reformulated
materials beginning Aug. 1.  Toyota developed its initial chemical ban list
based on an evaluation of toxic chemicals regulated worldwide.  The list will
be updated regularly.

    Hazardous Materials Transportation Management System

    Toyota is committed to safe transportation of hazardous materials,
therefore it is requiring all of its suppliers in North America to develop the
appropriate policies and procedures to ensure compliance with all applicable
state, federal and international hazardous materials transportation
requirements.

    While the Green Supplier Guidelines outline specific requirements
suppliers must meet as part of the Toyota Supplier Environmental Program, a
supplier's eligibility for compliance is based on criteria established by
Toyota's environmental and purchasing groups and the individual Toyota plants.

    Toyota's Environmental Commitment

    As part of its environmental commitment, Toyota Motor Corporation
maintains a worldwide Earth Charter, which was first established in 1992.  The
Charter reinforces Toyota's goal of being the global environmental leader in
both product and manufacturing process.

    "For our own North American plants, we have defined tough standards for
being environmentally responsible," said Kevin Butt, TMMNA assistant general
manager for environmental affairs.  "We are now working with our business
partners to join Toyota to continually improve environmental performance."

    By the end of 2000, all of Toyota's North American manufacturing plants
and facilities will be ISO 14001 certified.

    In addition, Toyota has implemented a hazardous materials transportation
policy at each of its manufacturing plants in North America.  An important
part of that policy is training all Toyota employees involved with handling
and/or transporting hazardous materials to ensure that they perform their jobs
safely and that they understand how their roles affect Toyota's entire process
of transporting hazardous materials.

    About Toyota

    Toyota employs more than 30,000 people in North America,
including about 20,000 at its manufacturing plants in California, Indiana,
Kentucky, Missouri, West Virginia, and Ontario and British Columbia in Canada.
Once the Indiana-built Sequoia and the Canadian-built Lexus RX 300 debut,
Toyota will produce nine vehicles in North America: Avalon, Camry, Corolla,
Lexus RX 300, Sequoia, Sienna, Solara, Tacoma and Tundra.