“I have been spending each and every day, vowing to revive Daihatsu,” said Inoue, who previously oversaw Toyota’s business in
His predecessor at Daihatsu resigned after the allegations of widespread cheating on safety testing surfaced last year. A third-party review found violations, such as testing just one side of a car instead of both, had persisted for decades.
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No major accidents have been reported in connection with the cheating, but the news has raised questions about oversight at Daihatsu, which is wholly owned by
Inoue apologized and said he has visited plants, dealers and suppliers, trying to encourage better communication among the ranks. Dealers have complained customers are waiting, but safety comes first before chasing market share, he added.
He acknowledged trying to deliver products quickly to keep up with demand was one reason for the misconduct.
“All of Daihatsu, as one team, will work hard so people can feel our vehicles are safe. We are about to make a big change,” Inoue said.
Executive Vice President
“There is no one quick fix,” he told reporters, “but we hope to restore positive energy among the ranks.”
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