Earlier this week, a report suggested that Toyota Japan had its dealership network issue out a pledge to consumers that had placed an order for the new Toyota Land Cruiser 300. The pledge details that buyers will not be allowed to sell their unit for 12 months at the risk of being banned from the manufacturer for future purchases of its products.
Issuing a statement to Mag-X, Toyota Japan has come out with an official statement regarding this decision in which it states the following;
“When selling vehicles to Japanese customers, Toyota dealers and Toyota Motors do not end the sale, but each dealer continues to have a responsible relationship including aftersales service in order to protect the safety and security of customers. We have a common understanding [regarding this].
“In addition, the Toyota Land Cruiser 300 is particularly popular overseas and we are concerned about the situation where vehicles, immediately after launch, will flow from Japan to international markets and will be exported to specific areas where security is regulated.
“If a Toyota dealer is accused of being involved in a violation of the Foreign Exchange and Foreign Trade Law and is subject to investigation, not only the Toyota dealer but all Toyota dealers will be investigated. We recognise that this will be a major problem for dealers and Toyota Motor Corporation.
“It is the responsibility of the manufacturer that supplies the vehicle to Toyota Motor Corporation to sell Toyota nationwide in order to understand the possibility of violation of the above foreign exchange law from the viewpoint of legal compliance and to minimize the risk of violation of the law.
“With reference to this, we recognise that each dealer has received a written pledge from the customer, judging from the viewpoint of legal compliance.
“This kind of response is based on the recent world situation and the characteristics of the Toyota Land Cruiser 300, so we believe that it does not violate the Antimonopoly Act.
“Toyota Motor Corporation will continue to deliver good products while complying with the laws and regulations of each country in the world through dealers and distributors around the world.”