BookTitleToyota Tsusho 70-Year History

Summary

Toyota Tsusho 70-Year History

awhile he was in a stunned state.However, Kiichiro quickly recovered his passion for the automobile business,just as Toyota Sangyo took its first steps on the road to recovery.Section 2 Signs of Postwar Recovery1 The First Board of Directors Meeting After the WarOn August 27, 1945, when the postwar confusion had not yet abated, ToyotaSangyo held its first Board of Directors meeting after the war, in the meeting roomof Toyoda Automatic Loom Works. The following officers were in attendance:PresidentRisaburoToyoda(Chairman of Toyota Motor Co., Ltd., President of Toyoda Machine Works,President of Toyota Steel Works, President of Toyoda Automatic LoomWorks)VicePresidentKiichiroToyoda(President of Tokai Hikoki, President of Toyota Motor Co., Ltd., VicePresident of Toyoda Machine Works, Vice President of Toyota Steel Works,Vice President of Toyoda Automatic Loom Works)Managing Director Tojiro Okamoto (Auditor of Toyota Motor Co., Ltd.)Director Heikichi Toyoda (Auditor of Toyoda Machine Works)DirectorHisayoshiAkai(VicePresidentofToyotaMotorCo.,Ltd.)Director Taizo Ishida (Senior Managing Director of Toyoda Automatic LoomWorks)Auditor Sasuke Toyoda (Auditor of Toyota Steel Works)Auditor Risaburo Oshima (Vice President of Tokai Hikoki)Auditor Takatoshi Kan (Managing Director of Toyoda Machine Works)Auditor Tomiyasu KambaraThe people in charge of managing each company of the Toyota Group wereappointed officers, and Toyota Sangyo was placed in a central position of thegroup’s management.The discussion was not just about Toyota Sangyo but covered the entire group,and there was a lively exchange of ideas about whether companies should bedissolved, separated, or merged due to business losses and whether it was possibleto continue the businesses or convert them into new ones based on civiliandemand and compensation-related industries. Kiichiro said,“Based on plans thatthe automobile industry will not be given permission to operate at first, for nowwe will proceed with automobile repair and refurbishment, and it may be possibleto make an agreement with one of the two major U.S. auto manufacturers that arelikely to enter the market here but this should be considered carefully.”Regarding the entire group, he said,“First of all, it will be difficult for theautomobile industry to survive. For now, facilities and technologies shouldbe released to the private sector as much as possible. The spinning and loommachinery industry and the spinning industry will recover just fine.“But,”headded,“Toyoda Machine Works cannot exist as a machine tool company as it isnow.”In short, Kiichiro made automobiles, spinning and loom machinery, andspinning the three pillars of the company’s business and made clear his intentionto take on the challenge of new businesses.Nagoya right after the end of the war, near SakaePhoto: Mainichi Shimbun/AfloMinutes of the first Toyota Sangyo Board ofDirector’s meeting held after the warHistory41