Peking University, October 25, 2023: Recently, Tatsuro Ueda, chairman of Toyota Motor (China) Investment Co. Ltd., delivered a lecture titled “Toyota's Business Philosophy,” as part of the School of Economics at Peking University (SEPKU) “Prominent Japanese Speakers Lecture Series.” The lecture was hosted by Professor Wang Wan from SEPKU.

Tatsuro Ueda delivers his speech

 

Professor Wang Wan hosts the lecture

In his lecture, Ueda began by introducing his career. He recalled that he has been working in China since 2018, when he was appointed head of Toyota's China headquarters. During this time, he witnessed the rapid development of China. He has also highlighted the challenges and opportunities that Toyota faces in the Chinese market.

Ueda then gave a detailed overview of the history of Toyota's business in China. He noted that Toyota's ties to China can be traced back to the founder of the Toyota Group, Kiichiro Toyoda, who was a strong advocate for entering the Chinese market. Eventually, under the leadership of Toyota Motor Corporation’s current president, Akio Toyoda, Toyota's automotive division finally entered the Chinese market.

Ueda highlighted Akio Toyoda's special affection for China and his role in the company's rapid growth in the Chinese market. Under his leadership, Toyota's sales in China grew from 840,000 vehicles in 2012 to 1.94 million vehicles in 2022. 

Ueda also discussed Toyota's sponsorship of the Beijing Winter Olympics and Paralympics: Toyota provided over 2,200 fuel-efficient and electric vehicles to the Beijing Organizing Committee for the Olympic and Paralympic Games, including 140 second-generation Mirai fuel cell vehicles and 107 Coaster hydrogen-powered buses. In addition, Toyota also partnered with the Organizing Committee on the development and marketing of fuel-efficient and electric vehicles. Both parties are still working together to promote the use of fuel-efficient and electric vehicles in China and contribute towards sustainable development.

Ueda concluded his lecture by discussing Toyota's business philosophy and corporate culture in China. He emphasized that Toyota remains committed to meeting the needs of Chinese consumers by strengthening local research and development and manufacturing vehicles with Chinese characteristics. He also discussed the spirit of the Toyota Charter, which emphasizes the importance of creating value for society, putting customers first, and building a shared values system among employees.

Ueda engages with PKUers in the Q&A segment

After the lecture, Ueda met with PKU Council Chair Hao Ping and Vice President Ning Qi. Li Yun, director of the PKU Office of International Relations, Suo Lingyan and Qin Xuezheng, vice deans of the School of Economics, and Sun Jianjun, chair of the School of Foreign Languages’ Japanese Department, also attended the meeting.

Group photo

The “Prominent Japanese Speakers Lecture Series” is a series of lectures organized by the School of Economics based on the course titled “Frontier Issues in Japanese Economics and Society.” The course focuses on analyzing Japanese economic and social issues from a cross-disciplinary perspective, including politics, diplomacy, society, regionalization, and globalization. The lecture series seeks to provide new research areas and insights for students.

Written by: Ang Shao Heng
Edited by: Su Huangyi
Source: PKU News (Chinese)