The longest-serving member of Toyota Motor Corporation, Eiji Toyoda passed away from heart failure yesterday at the Toyota Memorial Hospital in Toyota City, Japan. Eiji, who served as president of the Japanese automaker for 25 years, was the younger cousin of the company’s founding father, Kiichiro. His total time working at his family business was a whopping fifty seven years.
During his tenure Toyota went from strength-to-strength, most notably in the North American market.
“He played an important role in leading Toyota’s expansion into North America, and in developing the carmaker into a global company,” Japan’s Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, said at a press conference in Tokyo. “He was someone who was indispensable to the nation’s entire industry.”
Not only did Eiji spearhead the introduction of the Lexus brand, but was also instrumental in the creation of the Prius, the world’s best-selling hybrid passenger vehicle.
Eiji passed away just a few days after turning 100, on September 12. He had three sons and a daughter with his wife, Kazuko. He is survived by his eldest son, Kanshiro.
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