Musings by Morizo | "February 24th Edition"

In a significant event nine years ago, Akio Morizo, the current CEO of Toyota, testified at a congressional hearing in the United States. The hearing was regarding a massive recall issue that had originated in the U.S.

Upon his arrival at the U.S. building, Morizo was met by a sea of supporters. Many people, employees and stakeholders from all over the U.S., had rushed to be there, wearing "We love Toyota" t-shirts. This display of support was a far cry from the feelings of isolation that Morizo had felt when he left Japan for the hearing.

Morizo expressed his heartfelt gratitude to those who offered him support during the hearing. He acknowledged the importance of their emotional support during one of his most challenging moments. However, he did not repeat his earlier stated goals, such as protecting those involved or associated with Toyota or regaining customer trust.

The experience reminded Morizo of the feelings he had during Toyota Restart Day, a special day he designated on February 24. He believed that with the support of Toyota's friends around the world, they could create ever-better cars and regain customer trust.

Morizo also emphasized the importance of focusing on "customer first" and "*genchi genbutsu" values. He acknowledged his responsibility for Toyota around the world, considering it his duty to carry the present, past, and future of Toyota.

After the hearing, Morizo met the people who had come to offer their support. He realised that he had been worried about criticism but was actually supported by many people. This realisation was a turning point for Morizo, reinforcing his belief in Toyota's potential for growth and success.

Despite the search result not specifying who exactly supported Morizo before he declared February 24 as Toyota Restart Day within the company, it is clear that this day holds significant emotional and symbolic value for the Toyota CEO.