Toyota Motor Chairman Akio Toyoda has bounced back in a big way. At the company’s annual meeting on Thursday, he was re-elected with nearly 97% of the voted shares — a major turnaround after two tough years rocked by scandals and shaken investor trust.
Also reappointed was CEO Koji Sato, who earned 98% of the vote, showing strong shareholder confidence in the leadership team.
A Comeback After Crisis
Just last year, Toyoda’s support had dropped to 72%, the lowest ever, following a series of safety and certification scandals involving Daihatsu, Toyota Industries, and Toyota itself. These issues revealed falsified safety test data and forced the company to halt production on some models.
In 2023, his support was already down to 85%, falling below the 90% comfort zone for the first time in years.
But this year’s strong vote shows investors now back Toyoda’s response — which included fixing the problems, recertifying affected vehicles, and maintaining solid earnings through a tough global market.
“The company still achieved high earnings and profitability while staying committed to shareholders,” said Tatsuo Yoshida, senior auto analyst at Bloomberg Intelligence.
No Hard Questions This Time
Interestingly, shareholders at the meeting did not raise questions about U.S. auto tariffs or Toyoda’s controversial plan to privatize Toyota Industries — a move worth ¥4.7 trillion ($32.4 billion). That deal, however, faced tougher questioning at Toyota Industries’ own meeting earlier in the week.
Meanwhile, Japanese carmakers saw stock dips on Friday after U.S. President Donald Trump suggested raising tariffs on imported vehicles.
Despite past criticism — including hesitancy toward electric vehicle adoption and the fallout from safety scandals — this week’s vote suggests Toyoda’s leadership has regained trust where it matters most: the shareholders.
FAQs
Q1: Why was Akio Toyoda’s approval so low before?
A: In 2023 and 2024, Toyota faced major scandals involving falsified safety tests and certification issues at several Toyota units. This led to a loss of confidence and votes against Toyoda’s leadership by major investor advisory firms.
Q2: What changed in 2025 to regain support?
A: Toyota took action by fixing the problems, improving communication with shareholders, and maintaining strong profits. As a result, key investor advisory firms like ISS and Glass Lewis supported Toyoda’s reappointment this year.
Source:https://www.japantimes.co.jp/business/2025/06/13/companies/toyota-reelection/
