Toyota Opens Automobile Plant in Turkey

Tokyo―TOYOTA MOTOR CORPORATION announced that TOYOTASA, a joint venture with Turkey's Sabanci Group and Mitsui & Co., Ltd., held a ceremony today to celebrate the opening of its automobile manufacturing plant in Turkey. Approximately 20,000 Corolla units per year are expected to be built at the plant during the first year of operations. Future production plans call for an increase to an annual level of 100,000 units.

With the successful start-up of the plant, Toyotasa hopes to fulfill its role as a good corporate citizen in Turkey by contributing to the growth of the Turkish economy through the local procurement of parts and materials, and the creation of jobs.

Among the guests in attendance at the opening ceremony were: Turkish President Suleyman Demirel, Prime Minister Tansu Ciller, and Japanese Ambassador to Turkey, Takehiro Togo, as well as Toyota President Tatsuro Toyoda and Mitsui & Co., Ltd. President Naohiko Kumagai.