U.S. Transportation Sec. Hails Toyota’s 10-B.-Dlr Extra Investments

Liberty, North Carolina, Nov. 13 (Jiji Press)–U.S. Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy has welcomed Toyota Motor Corp.’s announcement of a plan to additionally invest up to 10 billion dollars in the United States, stating that it would support the revival of U.S. industry. “Another 10-billion-dollar investments on the way…That’s fantastic,” Duffy said at an opening ceremony for the major Japanese automaker’s new vehicle battery plant in North Carolina on Wednesday. The transportation secretary said he is a “huge fan of Toyota,” claiming that the company listened to consumers instead of “political pressure” such as efforts by former U.S. President Joe Biden to promote electric vehicles over gasoline cars. “I think the American consumer has responded so well to the vision that you (Toyota) have and the ties you have with the consumer, as opposed to being driven by politics,” he added. Toyota plans to use the additional investments to strengthen manufacturing infrastructure for hybrid vehicles, which are increasingly popular in the U.S. market, and for EVs, which the company plans to produce in the United States from next year. The planned additional spending raises Toyota’s cumulative investments in the United States since it started business in the country about 70 years ago to 60 billion dollars. Through the move, “we create more sustainable, high-quality jobs across the U.S. and reflect our long-standing commitment to build where we sell,” Tetsuo Ogawa, president and CEO of Toyota Motor North America, said at the ceremony. “We believe giving people choices is the most powerful way to help everyone contribute to a cleaner, sustainable future,” Ogawa added. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]