Toyota Announces New Assignments for North American Manufacturing Executives

ERLANGER, Ky., Dec. 21, 2005 -- Toyota announced today new assignments for senior level managers at the company's North American manufacturing facilities and headquarters.

"These are exciting and challenging times at Toyota," said Seiichi Sudo, President and CEO of Toyota Motor Manufacturing North America, Inc. "These executives will be vital as we strive to achieve our goals."

The new positions are as follows: (key to acronyms follows)

Seizo Okamoto, Chairman, TMMI. Mr. Okamoto was previously President and CEO of TMMI.

Shuichi Koyama, President, TMMI. Mr. Koyama was previously Project General Manager, TMC, Takaoka Plant.

Takao Gonno, Treasurer, TMMI. Mr. Gonno was previously Group Manager, TMC.

Norm Bafunno, Senior Vice President, Administration, Corporate Planning, Manufacturing Planning and Production, TMMI. Mr. Bafunno was previously Vice President of Quality Planning and Production.

Jim Bolte, Senior Vice President, Manufacturing and Administration and Secretary for TMMAL. Mr. Bolte was formerly Vice President of Manufacturing and Administration.

Hideki Ohno, Vice President, Quality, TMMNA. Mr. Ohno was previously Department General Manager, TMC, Quality Division.

Kazuhiro Somiya, Vice President, TMMNA, Production Engineering. Mr. Somiya was previously Vice President of TMMI.

Yuki Kusakawa, Treasurer and General Manager, Finance, TMMC. Mr. Kusakawa was previously Department General Manager of TMC.

Craig Grucza, General Manager, Human Resources, TMMK. Mr. Grucza was previously Assistant General Manager of Human Resources.

Latondra Newton, General Manager, Manufacturing Development Support Center, TMMNA. Ms. Newton was previously Assistant General Manager, Human Resources.

Dan Antis, General Manager, Production, TMMTX. Mr. Antis was previously Assistant General Manager, Production.

  Acronyms
   TMMNA     Toyota Motor Manufacturing North America, Inc.
   TMC       Toyota Motor Corporation, Inc.
             (Global Headquarters, located in Japan)
   TMMI      Toyota Motor Manufacturing Indiana, Inc.
   TMMAL     Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Alabama, Inc.
   TMMK      Toyota Motor Manufacturing Kentucky, Inc.
   TMMTX     Toyota Motor Manufacturing Texas, Inc.
   TMMC      Toyota Motor Manufacturing Canada, Inc.

By 2008, Toyota will have the annual capacity to build 1.81 million cars and trucks, 1.44 million engines, and 600,000 automatic transmissions in North America. The company's direct employment is 38,000, with direct investment of nearly $16.3 billion. In addition, Toyota's annual purchasing of parts, materials, goods and services from North American suppliers totals more than $26 billion. Toyota's North American-produced vehicles include the Avalon, Camry, Corolla, Matrix, Sienna, Solara, Sequoia, Tacoma, Tundra, and the Lexus RX330.