Born in Nagoya on 3 May 1956, Akio Toyoda is the son of Shoichiro Toyoda and Hiroko (née Mitsui). His family’s history in manufacturing stretches back generations, originating with his great-great-grandfather, Ikichi Toyoda, a carpenter-farmer who taught his son fabrication skills. The Toyoda family has maintained a dominant role in the leadership of their businesses since that time. Toyoda completed his undergraduate degree in law at Keio University and later earned a Masters of Finance from Babson College in Massachusetts.
Toyoda joined Toyota’s board of directors in 2000, and was promoted to executive vice president in 2005. In January 2009, he was selected as the forthcoming president of the company, and confirmed in the role on 23 June 2009, alongside appointments of four new executive vice presidents and eight new board members. Katsuaki Watanabe, the previous president and CEO, became vice chairman. In 2012, Toyoda was named Autocar’s Man of the Year.
Beyond his executive duties, Toyoda is an avid auto racing fan and driver who participates in races under the pseudonym Morizo Kinoshita. He competed in the 2009 24 Hours of Nürburgring, finishing 81st overall and third in class in a Lexus IS F, and 87th overall and fourth in class with a Lexus LF-A. At the 2014 24 Hours of Nürburgring, he achieved 13th overall and first in class with a Lexus LF-A, and in 2019, finished 40th overall and third in class with a Toyota GR Supra GT4.
Toyoda’s passion for racing extended to vehicle development; he approved the project that led to the GR Yaris and served as a test driver during its creation. During testing, he crashed the first prototype at a Hokkaido track, remarking that he did not “like the feel of it.” As Morizo, he continued testing development prototypes and has since raced the car competitively.
In 2010, Toyoda testified before the U.S. Congress regarding massive global recalls affecting 8.5 million vehicles. He accepted an invitation to appear on 17 February 2010, and subsequently issued a prepared statement. He addressed quality control philosophy, the causes of the recalls, and future quality control management. On 24 February 2010, accompanied by Yoshimi Inaba, president and COO of Toyota Motor North America, Toyoda testified before the House of Representatives' Oversight and Government Reform Committee. He expressed being “deeply sorry” and highlighted the fifty-year relationship between Toyota vehicles and American drivers.
On 14 December 2021, Toyota unveiled multiple concept cars featuring battery electric drivetrains, signaling a commitment to the technology. Toyoda stated, “People are finally seeing reality." The New York Times reported that Toyota’s focus on hybrid vehicles contributed to a record profit of 4.9 trillion yen in 2023. In the same year, Toyoda transitioned from CEO to chairman of the board.
In November 2025, Toyoda was photographed at Fuji Speedway wearing a "Make America Great Again" hat and a shirt featuring Donald Trump and JD Vance.
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