Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) announced today that it intends to implement changes to its executive structure effective April 1, 2026, and changes to its Board of Directors effective the date of its 122nd Ordinary General Shareholders’ Meeting.
Toyota Executive changes effective April 1
Koji Sato, President and Member of the Board of Directors, will assume the position of Vice Chairman and the newly established role of Chief Industry Officer (CIO), and Kenta Kon, Operating Officer, will assume the position of President and Chief Executive Officer.
Under this new leadership structure, Sato will focus on the broader industry, including Toyota, as Vice Chairman and CIO, while Kon will focus on internal company management as President and CEO.
This change in roles is intended to accelerate management decision-making in response to changes in the internal and external environment and to establish a structure that will enable Toyota to fully carry out its mission of contributing to society through industry.
This organizational structure was established based on the following considerations
- As the automotive industry faces a challenging business environment, there is a growing need to accelerate practical initiatives for industry collaboration to strengthen international competitiveness. In this context, the role Sato is expected to play as Chairman of Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association, Inc. (hereinafter referred to as JAMA) is significant.
- As Vice Chair of KEIDANREN (Japan Business Federation), appointed in May 2025, Sato is also expected to promote policy proposals centered on monozukuri (manufacturing) and advance industry collaboration to enhance Japan’s industrial competitiveness.
- For Toyota to continue advancing its transformation into a mobility company, it is necessary not only to strengthen industry collaboration but also to expand partnerships beyond the industry.
- Within Toyota, improving the company’s earning power, which forms the foundation for continuing to make ever-better cars, and lowering the break-even volume are immediate priorities. Concrete actions on these issues are urgently required. To achieve this, it is necessary to lead reforms across the entire company, not through functional segmentation but by addressing the value chain as a whole. As Toyota’s CFO, Kon has been at the forefront of efforts to improve the earnings structure and has also gained cross-functional management experience at Woven by Toyota, Inc.
Personnel proposals for top management positions are regarded as an important matter and are reviewed on an ongoing basis from a long-term perspective. The Executive Appointment Meeting has therefore been considering future candidates.
In October of last year, JAMA requested that Sato, who had been addressing industry issues as Vice Chairman of JAMA, assume the position of the next Chairman and continue to serve as the industry’s coordinator.
The Board of Directors determined that contributing to the industry is Toyota’s responsibility and approved Sato’s appointment as Chairman of JAMA effective January 2026.
In response, the Executive Appointment Meeting discussed the management impact of concurrently holding the roles of Toyota’s top executive, Chairman of JAMA, and Vice Chair of Keidanren, and considered the optimal new leadership structure in light of the current environmental changes and the individual strengths of each executive.
Based on these discussions, the Executive Appointment Meeting proposed the new personnel structure at the board meeting held on February 6, and the proposal was approved.
| * | To ensure independence in director nominations, Toyota’s director personnel proposals are first reviewed and proposed by the Executive Appointment Meeting, composed of two independent outside directors (Shigeaki Okamoto and Kumi Fujisawa) and one internal director (Yoichi Miyazaki) and then resolved by the Board of Directors (The election of directors is formally decided upon approval at the General Shareholders’ Meeting). |
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Changes in Areas of Responsibility for Executives (3)
| Name | New Title Effective (April 1) | Current Title | |
|---|---|---|---|
| KOJI SATO | Vice Chairman, Member of the Board of Directors (Representative Director) Chief Industry Officer (newly established) | President, Member of the Board of Directors (Representative Director) Operating Officer Chief Executive Officer | |
| KENTA KON | President Operating Officer Chief Executive Officer | Operating Officer Chief Financial Officer Director and Chief Financial Officer of Woven by Toyota, Inc. | |
| YOICHI MIYAZAKI | Executive Vice President, Member of the Board of Directors (Representative Director) Operating Officer Chief Financial Officer | Executive Vice President, Member of the Board of Directors (Representative Director) Operating Officer | |
Changes to the Board of Directors effective the date of the 122nd Ordinary General Shareholders’ Meeting
The appointment of board members will become effective upon approval at the 122nd Ordinary General Shareholders’ Meeting.
The formal assignment of board members with specific titles, and the appointment of board members with the legal status to represent TMC (representative directors), will be made at the board of directors meeting following the 122nd Ordinary General Shareholders’ Meeting.
The resignation of board members leaving their current posts will become effective on the date of the 122nd Ordinary General Shareholders’ Meeting.
Member of the Board of Directors Resigning Post
| Name | Following the 122nd Ordinary General Shareholders’ Meeting (scheduled for June 2026) | |
|---|---|---|
| KOJI SATO | Vice Chairman Chief Industry Officer | |
New Member of the Board of Directors
| Name | Following the 122nd Ordinary General Shareholders’ Meeting (scheduled for June 2026) | |
|---|---|---|
| KENTA KON | President, Member of the Board of Directors (Representative Director) Operating Officer Chief Executive Officer | |