Toyota's head delays visit until March

• Source: Shanghai Daily
• [08:44 February 12 2010]
• Comments

Toyota's top executive has delayed a visit to the United States until early March, a news report said yesterday, amid a call by a lawmaker that he testify before United States Congress this month about the auto maker's safety lapses.

Akio Toyoda, Toyota's president and also grandson of the company's founder, has apologized for a series of massive recalls of top-selling models over quality defects and safety concerns.

Toyoda said on Tuesday he planned to visit the US soon to meet Toyota workers and dealers there. He spoke shortly after the world's largest auto maker announced it was recalling 437,000 Prius and other hybrids over brake problems.

That brought the total number of vehicles recalled by Toyota since November to 8.5 million.

Other recalls were for floor mats that can entangle the gas pedal and gas pedals that can stick, causing sudden acceleration.

Japan's Kyodo News agency said yesterday that Toyoda will visit Washington in early March and meet with Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood and other government officials.

The report, which did not cite sources, said the trip was scheduled for this week, but was rearranged due to heavy snowfall in Washington.