[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 200 (Tuesday, December 5, 2023)]
[Senate]
[Page S5744]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      REMEMBERING SHOICHIRO TOYODA

 Mr. HAGERTY. Mr. President, I rise to address my colleagues in 
the U.S. Senate and to posthumously honor the life and achievements of 
Mr. Shoichiro Toyoda of Japan.
  Mr. Shoichiro Toyoda built upon the strong foundation established by 
both his grandfather, Sakichi Toyoda, the founder of the successful 
Toyoda Automatic Loom Works, and his father, Kiichiro Toyoda, who 
transitioned the company to automobiles by establishing Toyota Motors. 
Shoichiro, while never intending to join the family business, stepped 
in at the age of 27 to help following the unexpected death of his 
father. Determined to ``develop a high-quality passenger car that would 
perform well anywhere in the world,'' Shoichiro Toyoda's efforts 
eventually established Toyota as a world leader in quality and 
introduced one of the bestselling cars of all time.
  Both a talented engineer and businessman, Shoichiro expanded Toyota's 
production globally and deployed manufacturing facilities in 22 
countries, specifically investing billions in Toyota's U.S. operations 
and creating an untold number of jobs for American workers. He was 
inducted into the U.S. Automotive Hall of Fame in 2007 and served on 
the board of Denso, a valued corporate citizen of my home State of 
Tennessee, for 58 years. On a very personal level, I would also like to 
acknowledge the tremendous accomplishments of his son and my friend, 
Akio Toyoda, who continues his father's legacy, ably leading Toyota 
Motor Corporation as chairman of the company's board of directors.
  I applaud Shoichiro Toyoda's contributions in making Toyota a shining 
example of the Japanese commitment to excellence, and I appreciate the 
great legacy that he left in support of U.S.-Japan relations.

                          ____________________