Toyota chief expected to testify in Congress: minister

I / Tokyo February 10, 2010, 16:47 IST

Toyota president Akio Toyoda is expected to testify in the US Congress about the company's mass safety recalls, Japan's transport minister said today.

Toyota officials, however, said there was no plan for the automaker's head to face US lawmakers.

Transport Minister Seiji Maehara said he was told by Toyoda yesterday "he would like to visit the United States as early as next week and give a firm explanation to all the stakeholders involved".

"I think he will give an explanation to Congress," Maehara said, speaking with US Ambassador John Roos.

He said that the Toyota boss was also expected to meet US Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood.

Maehara, however, later appeared to backtrack slightly, telling reporters that he would like Toyoda to face Congress if asked to do so.

Toyota officials noted that the auto giant's president had told reporters on Tuesday he would send his top North America executive, Yoshimi Inaba, instead.

"No change has been made to this situation," said Toyota spokeswoman Ririko Takeuchi.

Inaba had been set to testify in Congress on Wednesday, part of a wider probe by lawmakers looking into when the auto giant knew of the problems and how it responded.

But the planned Congressional hearing was postponed until February 24 because of a snowstorm in the US capital.