Eiji Toyoda, who steered Toyota's rise, dies at 100

A file photo of former Toyota Motor president and and chairman Eiji Toyoda. Toyoda, a member of Toyota's founding family who oversaw its global ascent and helped drive a revolutionary production process, died on September 17, 2013 at the age of 100, the company said. AFP/PHOTO 

In Summary

• Toyoda, a cousin of the automaker's founder, died of heart failure less than a week after becoming a centenarian.

By AFP
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TOKYO,

Eiji Toyoda, a member of Toyota's founding family who oversaw its global ascent and helped drive a revolutionary production process, died on Tuesday at the age of 100, the company said.

Toyoda, a cousin of the automaker's founder, died of heart failure less than a week after becoming a centenarian.

He joined the company in 1936 and became Toyota's president in 1967 when he spearheaded a push for mass production of cars, notably its Corolla brand, using a just-in-time production system that aimed to cut waste and improve efficiency.

Toyoda's tenure saw the firm's sales overseas soar, helping turn it into what is now the world's number-one automaker.

"With Mr Toyoda, the company became a global player with production in other developed countries -- he initiated that expansion," a company spokesman said.

Stepping down from his role as president in 1982, Toyoda was chairman until 1992 before finishing his nearly half-a-century career two years later.

Born in the central city of Nagoya, Toyoda was also a nephew of Toyota Group founder Sakichi Toyoda.