The head of Toyota Motor Corp bowed to pressure to testify before U.S. lawmakers and explain the company's safety crisis, becoming the highest profile Japanese executive to face such a grilling from Congress.
Akio Toyoda, the grandson of Toyota's founder, said on Friday he intends to provide a "sincere explanation" of the problems that led to the recall of millions of vehicles when he testifies next Wednesday before a congressional panel.
His decision ends days of uncertainty about how the embattled automaker would respond to calls for a better response to its safety issues. Toyoda originally said he had no intention to appear before Congress himself, drawing criticism from both industry analysts and Japanese politicians.
"Toyota gave the impression that it was not serious enough about the issue or taking the U.S. market too lightly when it said Mr. Toyoda had no imminent plans to travel to the United States," said Tsutomu Yamada, a market analyst at kabu.com Securities.
The U.S. House Oversight and Government Reform Committee invited Toyoda on Thursday, a month into a safety crisis that has tarnished its reputation, hurt sales and sapped profits.
"It's good that he has decided to accept (the invitation)," Seiji Maehara, Japan's transport minister, said on Friday.
"But it's a shame there was flip-flopping on the decision."
Toyoda had originally said he would send the company's North American chief to testify but later changed his plans
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