Toyota Forms "France Project Department"

Tokyo―TOYOTA MOTOR CORPORATION (TMC) announced today the creation of its France Project Department, effective May 1, 1998. The purpose of the Department is to assist in the promotion and preparation of the Company's second European auto manufacturing plant, to be built in Valenciennes, France.

The Department will function as part of TMC's Overseas Operations Group. Responsibilities will entail pushing forth with the establishment and construction of the new plant, and assisting in the development and production preparations of the Yaris, a small-class passenger car designed and developed especially for the European market.

Responsibility for the Department will fall to Senior General Manager Hiroaki Watanabe, who also will continue to function as President of Toyota Motor Manufacturing Canada, Inc. Mr. Yukio Azuma has been named General Manager of the Department. He is a former Project General Manager of TMC's Overseas Project Division II.

The France plant will have a production capacity of about 150,000 units per year, and will employ roughly 2,000 persons in the region. The plant was announced in December of last year, and is scheduled to begin operations in 2001. In Europe, Toyota currently produces the Avensis at Toyota Motor Manufacturing (UK) Ltd., and will begin producing Corollas there in the future.