Make-good trip for Toyota boss

Toyota's top executive is expected to visit the United States amid pressure from a Republican in the House of Representatives that the company's leader testify before Congress about the carmaker's safety lapses.

Toyota confirmed yesterday that Akio Toyoda, Toyota's president and the grandson of the company's founder, was expected to visit the US next month to meet government officials and members of Congress but said his schedule was still under discussion.

The executive had previously said he intended to travel to America to meet Toyota workers and dealers in the aftermath of a global recall of 8.5 million vehicles.

Toyoda's trip is intended to reassure rattled car owners and company employees following the huge recalls, which have hurt the reputation of the world's top carmaker and raised questions about how quickly Toyota responded to the safety problems.

But his arrival would come about a week after hearings by the House oversight and government reform committee and the House energy and commerce committee.

The Senate commerce committee is expected to hold a Toyota hearing on March 2 but has not yet announced its witness list.

The Asahi daily said yesterday Toyoda would attend US congressional hearings to explain a string of safety and quality issues. But the major Japanese daily said it was unclear which session Toyoda would attend.

Toyota spokeswoman Ririko Takeuchi in Tokyo declined to confirm the report. "Nothing has been decided on whether the president will attend hearings or not," she said.

Representative Darrell Issa of California, the top Republican on the oversight committee, said yesterday Toyoda should meet lawmakers and suggested his committee hold another hearing with Toyoda as a witness. If necessary, Issa said, Congress should compel Toyoda's testimony.

"If we are not receiving the co-operation and transparency this committee and the American people are demanding from Toyota, I would fully support the issuance of a subpoena," Issa said.

"We have a duty to determine what Toyota knew, when they knew it and if they met their full obligation of disclosure to US regulators and the American people."

Toyoda has apologised several times for the recalls, most recently on Tuesday after Toyota announced it was recalling 437,000 Prius and other hybrids over brake problems.

Japanese media have criticised the company over its slowness and lack of clarity in explaining the series of embarrassing recalls. Japanese government officials have also criticised Toyota.

- AP