was a
JapanJapan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese entrepreneur and the son of
Toyoda Loom WorksToyota Industries Corporation is a Japanese machine maker. Originally a manufacturer of automatic looms, it is the company from which Toyota Motor Corporation developed.-History:...
founder
Sakichi Toyodawas a Japanese inventor and industrialist. He was born in Kosai, Shizuoka. The son of a poor carpenter, Toyoda is referred to as the "King of Japanese Inventors".- Career :...
. His decision to take Toyoda
LoomA loom is a device used to weave cloth. The basic purpose of any loom is to hold the warp threads under tension to facilitate the interweaving of the weft threads...
Works into automobile manufacturing would create what would eventually become Toyota Motor Corporation, the world's largest automobile manufacturer.
Family tree
The descendants of
Sakichi Toyodawas a Japanese inventor and industrialist. He was born in Kosai, Shizuoka. The son of a poor carpenter, Toyoda is referred to as the "King of Japanese Inventors".- Career :...
who established Toyoda Automatic Loom Works, have long dominated the upper management of Toyota Motors, which was incorporated in 1937.
Kiichiro Toyoda, who would become the president of Toyota between 1941 and 1950; His son, Shoichiro Toyoda, was born in Nagoya on February 17, 1925.
In due course, Shoichiro Toyoda became president of the company between 1982 and 1992. His 54-year-old son,
Akio Toyodais the president and CEO of Toyota Motor Corporation.He received his MBA from Babson College.- Career :Akio Toyoda joined Toyota in 1984. In 2000 he joined Toyota's board of directors. In 2005 he was promoted to executive vice president....
, was the chief contender for the office of president when
Katsuaki Watanabeis vice chairman of Toyota Motor Corporation. He was president and CEO of the company before Akio Toyoda assumed those positions on June 23, 2009.Watanabe, who earned a degree in economics from Tokyo's Keio University, joined Toyota upon graduating from that university in 1964.He has gained...
relinquished that post to become Chairman, and the expectation was confirmed in 2009.
Career
Kiichiro Toyoda made the decision for Toyoda Loom Works to branch into automobiles, considered a risky business at the time. Shortly before Sakichi Toyoda died, he encouraged his son to follow his dream and pursue automobile manufacturing — Kiichiro created what eventually became
Toyota Motor Corporation, , , commonly known simply as Toyota and abbreviated as TMC, is a multinational automaker headquartered in Toyota, Aichi, Japan. In 2010, Toyota Motor Corporation employed 317,734 people worldwide, and was the world's largest automobile manufacturer by production.The company was founded by...
.
He resigned from the company in 1950 due to flagging sales and profitability, passing away four years later. In 1957, his cousin and confidant
Eiji Toyodais a prominent Japanese industrialist, who was largely responsible for bringing Toyota Motor Corporation to profitability and worldwide prominence during his tenure as president and later chairman.-Career:...
, became head of
Toyota Motor Corporation, , , commonly known simply as Toyota and abbreviated as TMC, is a multinational automaker headquartered in Toyota, Aichi, Japan. In 2010, Toyota Motor Corporation employed 317,734 people worldwide, and was the world's largest automobile manufacturer by production.The company was founded by...
, overseeing its successful expansion worldwide and the launch of Japan's most prominent luxury vehicle brand,
Lexusis the luxury vehicle division of Japanese automaker Toyota Motor Corporation. First introduced in 1989 in the United States, Lexus is now sold globally and has become Japan's largest-selling make of premium cars. The Lexus marque is marketed in over 70 countries and territories worldwide, and has...
.