Toyota President Steps Down Amid Lawsuit
May 9, 12:27 AM EDT
By YURI KAGEYAMA
AP Business Writer

TOKYO (AP) -- The president and CEO of Toyota Motor North America, who was accused last week in a sexual harassment lawsuit, is leaving the post, the automaker said Tuesday.

In response, the world's No. 2 automaker chose its first American as president of the region's operations.

Hideaki Otaka, 65, who had been scheduled to leave his post in June, has voluntarily left earlier. He said his staying on went against the company's interests, but said he was innocent of the charges. Jim Press, now president of Toyota Motor Sales USA, Toyota's U.S. sales unit, will replace Otaka as president.

Otaka was accused in a $190 million sexual harassment lawsuit filed last week in New York. In that lawsuit, Sayaka Kobayashi accused him of harassing her when she worked as his personal assistant, making repeated unwanted sexual advances after she began working for him last summer. She said the conduct continued until winter, when she was involuntarily transferred out of the job.

Toyota Motor Corp.'s U.S. unit named a new executive team, including Press and Yuki Funo, 59, now chairman of Toyota Motor Sales, as the new chairman and chief executive of Toyota Motor North America.

Toyota Motor North America is a subsidiary of Toyota Motor Corp. It oversees Toyota's manufacturing and sales operations and 31,500 employees in the U.S., Canada and Mexico.

The company, based in Toyota City, central Japan, said it will strengthen measures against harassment and discrimination, including thoroughly reviewing Toyota's practices and increasing training for senior executives to prevent misconduct.

Toyota Motor Corp. President Katsuaki Watanabe said the company hoped to build its reputation for excellence under the new North American team.

Kobayashi's lawsuit said Otaka manipulated her travel and work schedules so they were alone together, had her accompany him to social functions, and groped her at a Washington D.C., hotel and in New York's Central Park.

When she reported the inappropriate conduct to Toyota officials, they urged her to work it out privately with her married boss, the lawsuit says. Kobayashi, 42, said that as a result of her complaints she was removed from the job and told she could either leave the company or return to a former position in the planning department.

Toyota, which is also targeted in the lawsuit, has not commented on the lawsuit.

"While I expect to be fully vindicated in the recently filed litigation against Toyota and me, I have regretfully come to the conclusion that my continued service as president would serve as a distraction and ultimately not be in the interests of the company," Otaka said.

Japanese companies have often been castigated for their slow cultural changes regarding views on the role and advancement of women in the workplace.

http://customwire.ap.org/dynamic/stories/T/TOYOTA_HARASSMENT_SUIT?SITE=NDBIS&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2006-05-09-00-27-44

Legally it's not sexual harrassment until 1.) A complaint is made and/or 2.) sexual assualt occurs
...

I'll never figure out why it is that those who are supposedly being harrassed refuse to report it.


She said the conduct continued until winter, when she was involuntarily transferred out of the job.

Uh huh .... :sad:

M.

Legally it's not sexual harrassment until 1.) A complaint is made and/or 2.) sexual assualt occurs
...

I'll never figure out why it is that those who are supposedly being harrassed refuse to report it.



Uh huh .... :sad:

M.

Are sexual harrassment laws universal?

If he IS guilty, of course, then fine...he's probably doing the right thing, but if he is not, then he certainly is not doing the company any good by letting an overzealous ( and perhaps lying ) woman browbeat him out of his job...that is ludicrous.

I personally believe in strong action taken against sexual harassers, but also strong action taken against those who try to abuse the system and file false charges.

Legally it's not sexual harrassment until 1.) A complaint is made and/or 2.) sexual assualt occurs
...

I'll never figure out why it is that those who are supposedly being harrassed refuse to report it.



Uh huh .... :sad:

M.

I would have to guess that Sayaka Kobayashi is Japanese and at age 42 is a bit old school. I'm a big fan of Japan, but it was, and to an extent still is a different world for women in and out of the work place. And their culture as a whole is very different. Everything is done for the good of the society as a whole. Your personal problems and struggles are of a lesser consequence and they are also a very private society.

Crazy, I mean just nuts. WELL GOOD LUCK TO OUR PAST PRESIDENT AND TO OUR NEW ONE!

They are very honorable there, I am sure he did it so Toyota could be taken out of the negative spotlight.

She needs to swim with the fishes.

They are very honorable there, I am sure he did it so Toyota could be taken out of the negative spotlight.




Oh of course they did. Matter of fact... :)



Jim Press is new president of Toyota Motor North America
Automaker replaces exec accused of sexual harassment


Toyota Motor Corp., moving quickly to squelch the bad publicity over charges of sexual harassment against its top executive in America, on Monday replaced that executive.

Jim Press, 59, president of Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A. Inc., has been promoted from the sales company to become president of Toyota Motor North America in New York. Respected as one of the brightest minds in the automotive business, Press will oversee the holding company for the corporation in America.

Also, Yuki Funo, 59, chairman and CEO of Toyota Motor Sales in Torrance, Calif., will add the titles of chairman and CEO of Toyota Motor North America. Funo's change takes effect immediately, Toyota said.

They will replace Hideaki Otaka, who has resigned as president and CEO of Toyota Motor North America.

Otaka, 65, was subject of allegations that over several months last year he twice groped and sexually harassed his executive assistant, Sayaka Kobayashi, 42. On Monday, May 1, Kobayashi sued Otaka and Toyota in New York Supreme Court, seeking $190 million. The lawsuit got widespread publicity.

Toyota Motor North America handles investor relations and government affairs for the automaker. It also coordinates messages on those areas from Toyota's sales and manufacturing operations in North America and the parent company in Japan. But it is not an operating company. Toyota's North American sales and manufacturing report directly to Japan.

At Toyota Motor Sales, Toyota Division General Manager Jim Lentz, 50, will become executive vice president and take over Press' operational duties. But Press' post of Toyota Motor Sales president will not be filled immediately, the automaker said.

The job changes for Press and Lentz must still be approved by Toyota's board of directors, which meets June 23.

Task force formed
In addition:

Former Secretary of Labor Alexis Herman will head a seven-person task force to review Toyota's sexual harassment policies and procedures. Herman is chairman of the automaker's Diversity Advisory Board. In addition to Herman, four other members of the task force are women.

All Toyota executives in the United States will be given special training "to enable them to better recognize, prevent and handle any instances of inappropriate behavior," the automaker said in a statement.

A policy change will now require that any charges of harassment or misconduct against a chairman, CEO or president of a Toyota affiliate be reported directly to the unit's board of directors.

The policy change is significant.

In her lawsuit, Kobayashi says she reported her allegations first to Ko Takatsu, Toyota Motor North America's vice president of human relations. But she says the company did not investigate.

Then in early December, Kobayashi says she took her complaints to Senior Vice President Dennis Cuneo, the second-highest executive in Toyota's New York office. Otaka was Cuneo's boss.

Kobayashi says Cuneo arranged a private meeting between her and Otaka. But instead of an apology, Otaka criticized and humiliated her.

Toyota's announcement of the executive changes makes no mention of Cuneo.

Toyota spokesman Irv Miller said, "From what I can tell, Dennis will continue to perform his job functions at TMNA. Other than that, I cannot comment."

In Toyota's announcement, Otaka said he expects "to be fully vindicated" in the lawsuit.

"I have regretfully come to the conclusion that my continued service as president would serve as a distraction and ultimately not be in the best interests of the company," Otaka said in a statement.

Otaka has withdrawn from being considered for a job as in-house auditor at Toyota affiliate Daihatsu Motor Co. in Japan. He will be a Toyota retiree, and won't pursue another job within Toyota until the legal case against him concludes, a company spokesman said.

Lentz on fast track
The personnel move is a major boost for fast-tracker Lentz, Toyota group vice president and Toyota Division's general manager.

While Lentz keeps the responsibility over Toyota Division, he also assumes all the operational oversight that Press previously held. His new corporate title will be executive vice president, instead of the president's title that Press held.

With this move, Lentz has vaulted past numerous other Toyota veterans in the executive hierarchy, an impressive move considering Lentz was working in the shadows just a few years ago.

Although he joined Toyota in 1982, Lentz first came to the public eye when he led the launch of the Scion youth brand in 2002, a position he surrendered to become vice president of Toyota Division marketing later that year. Lentz, 50, was promoted to his current job in March 2005.


http://www.autoweek.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060509/FREE/60509001/1041

Crazy, I mean just nuts. WELL GOOD LUCK TO OUR PAST PRESIDENT AND TO OUR NEW ONE!

They are very honorable there, I am sure he did it so Toyota could be taken out of the negative spotlight.

She needs to swim with the fishes.

Why do you say this? Is this based on an assumption or fact? Were you there in the office with the two of them, or outside the office with your ear up against the door? What if shes not lying, you know not all accusations are false, and we can't assume this one is simply because hes a some top exec. This doesn't automatically make her a lier simply trying to get paid and it surely doesn't make him infallible, chances are this guy is a perverted jerk, I've met too many in my line of business, and that too doesn't mean that they all are either I'm just saying we don't really know so we can't respond as though we do.
YOUR past president (cuz he surely isn't mine) could be one of the biggest perverts in the company and just might be a good reason why he's taking it upon himself to step down, yeah before all the rest of his victims come foreward and put Toyota in some serious light.

i think 1SICK's attitude comes from the fact that the woman filed a $190 million lawsuit.

one hundred and ninety million dollars and "not just trying to get paid" ?

yeah. right.

I don't give a rats crack how much the suit is for the fact of the matter is is what possibly happen to this women and if she was victimized she has the right to clean their clock if she can, thats about the most damage you can do to these people anyway without shooting their freakin knee caps off and then being put into prison for it.

You know what? I really think that you men have to be sexually harassed to understand, I really do and no not by a women either, for you guys to really get the point you'd have to be sexully harassed by another man, I think then you wouldn't put up so much resistance to these sort of things. Ha you guys would be talking more like a 200 mill suit. and for the guy to be put in jail. Oh yeah that is if you didn't first blast his knee caps off and went to prison first.

So please... spare me the wet laundry here fellas.

i think 1SICK's attitude comes from the fact that the woman filed a $190 million lawsuit.

one hundred and ninety million dollars and "not just trying to get paid" ?

yeah. right.
yeah but you would of done the same thing so dont throw stones......

Why do you say this? Is this based on an assumption or fact? Were you there in the office with the two of them, or outside the office with your ear up against the door? What if shes not lying, you know not all accusations are false, and we can't assume this one is simply because hes a some top exec. This doesn't automatically make her a lier simply trying to get paid and it surely doesn't make him infallible, chances are this guy is a perverted jerk, I've met too many in my line of business, and that too doesn't mean that they all are either I'm just saying we don't really know so we can't respond as though we do.
YOUR past president (cuz he surely isn't mine) could be one of the biggest perverts in the company and just might be a good reason why he's taking it upon himself to step down, yeah before all the rest of his victims come foreward and put Toyota in some serious light.
I don't think 1SICKLEX was accusing her but seeking $190 million is far too exessive...

Were you there in the office with the two of them, or outside the office with your ear up against the door? What if she's lying, you know not all accusations are true, and we can't assume this one is simply because he's a some top executive.

These were your words which I saw the other side as well...

I don't think 1SICKLEX was accusing her but seeking $190 million is far too exessive...


Quite possibly, and I'm sure he can clear that up. And too I realize that he didn't directly say that shes a lier either which I'm sure he may bring to our attention. I'm just repsonding to the attitude and mentality some here expressed in this thread toward women who are possibly victized. It takes a lot courage for most women to stand up against ones in a male dominted industry when it comes to their rights, even more so in that culture. I mean dang the mentality in this thread alone gives us some clue of that.
Then too the fact that these thing are often abused doesn't help any, so for these women with legitimate cases its a serious up hill battle.

Were you there in the office with the two of them, or outside the office with your ear up against the door? What if she's lying, you know not all accusations are true, and we can't assume this one is simply because he's a some top executive.

These were your words which I saw the other side as well...

This is true she very well could be lying her tail off I mean I wasn't there either she could be the biggest jerk of them all and if so her knee caps need to be blasted. All I'm saying is its possible that she was harassed its not impossible. I guess the thing that got me uptight was the attitude right off the bat, maybe 190 is excessive maybe not I don't know what the man did to her or didn't do, but just to assume or should say here insinuate without facts based on some report that shes being foul is unfair.

Yes, it is difficult to believe who is right. There's three sides to every story, your side, my side and the truth...

Congratulations Milla you're about to hit a thousand posts...

Yes, it is difficult to believe who is right. There's three sides to every story, your side, my side and the truth...

Congratulations Milla you're about to hit a thousand posts...


Excatly..

Thanks I didn't even realize I was that close. Hmm I need a few more hot topics to participate in :p

Hey wait this here is my thousandth..(said with a lisp)

Why do you say this? Is this based on an assumption or fact? Were you there in the office with the two of them, or outside the office with your ear up against the door? What if shes not lying, you know not all accusations are false, and we can't assume this one is simply because hes a some top exec. This doesn't automatically make her a lier simply trying to get paid and it surely doesn't make him infallible, chances are this guy is a perverted jerk, I've met too many in my line of business, and that too doesn't mean that they all are either I'm just saying we don't really know so we can't respond as though we do.
YOUR past president (cuz he surely isn't mine) could be one of the biggest perverts in the company and just might be a good reason why he's taking it upon himself to step down, yeah before all the rest of his victims come foreward and put Toyota in some serious light.

Milla, as an attractive man, who has reported to woman most of his life, and has had mostly women as peers and as subordinates, trust me, I've been "harrassed". I've been offered, oggled, touched, watched, etc etc.

And sometimes I am like "man, woman have to go through this"? But as a MAN, I can deal with it comes with the territory.

However, I took it with a grain of salt and didn't think I needed 190 MILLION DOLLARS to stop.

There are steps of escalation and I HOPE SHE TOOK THEM.
1. Confront the person
2. If person(s) does not stop, inform the next level manager
3. If nothing happens then, talk to human resources.

Only in extreme cases, should people just jump the gun and go straight to human resources or go straight to a lawyer.

You know the FIRST THING THEY WILL ASK

"Did you talk to the person who did it and ask them to stop"?

Why do you say this? Is this based on an assumption or fact? Were you there in the office with the two of them, or outside the office with your ear up against the door? What if shes not lying, you know not all accusations are false, and we can't assume this one is simply because hes a some top exec. This doesn't automatically make her a lier simply trying to get paid and it surely doesn't make him infallible, chances are this guy is a perverted jerk, I've met too many in my line of business, and that too doesn't mean that they all are either I'm just saying we don't really know so we can't respond as though we do.
YOUR past president (cuz he surely isn't mine) could be one of the biggest perverts in the company and just might be a good reason why he's taking it upon himself to step down, yeah before all the rest of his victims come foreward and put Toyota in some serious light.

Damn right he was my past president. You don't think Presidents have been getting some in the white house for over 200 years? C'mon, be real here.

He got caught. And you know what, I don't know about you, but in my experience, ORAL SEX MORE THAN ANYTHING IS ABOUT THE GIVER.

SHE (or HE) has to pretty much do it TO YOU. You cannot make another person give you oral sex unless you put pretty much a gun to the other persons head.

What happened to him was not perverted. It was sex. The only BAD part was he was MARRIED at the time.

Excatly..

Thanks I didn't even realize I was that close. Hmm I need a few more hot topics to participate in :p

Hey wait this here is my thousandth..(said with a lisp)
Congrats on 1,000 btw :)

I don't give a rats crack how much the suit is for the fact of the matter is is what possibly happen to this women and if she was victimized she has the right to clean their clock if she can, thats about the most damage you can do to these people anyway without shooting their freakin knee caps off and then being put into prison for it.

You know what? I really think that you men have to be sexually harassed to understand, I really do and no not by a women either, for you guys to really get the point you'd have to be sexully harassed by another man, I think then you wouldn't put up so much resistance to these sort of things. Ha you guys would be talking more like a 200 mill suit. and for the guy to be put in jail. Oh yeah that is if you didn't first blast his knee caps off and went to prison first.

So please... spare me the wet laundry here fellas.

What the hell? Just because were men does not mean we do not get conduct that some more sensitive individuals fudgesicles Ill just say it. IN some cases, weaker individuals would run and claim say sexual harrasment.

In my work place/places I have gotten what some would consider inappriopate attention from, Gay coworkers (im straight, this particular one is.. a bit uncomfortable), Older women, younger girls, wise cracking management and fellow workers. It happens all the time. But I also have repertoire of defenses to not let it affect me.

First one is.. a sense of humor and thick skin. Very little things actually offend me and takes a bit to cross that line, id say a lot of things that are actually sexual harrasment is blown way over the top. In the actual when that line is legitimately crossed. It takes assertive, authoritive behavior against offending individual to confront the individual causing the problem DIRECTLY is all it takes to end it there. I do not need a frivolous lawsuit for 190,000,000 to solve my problems.

You know how many attentive craving individuals expose themselves to such actions only to go and cry sexual harrasment there are? In my past experiences to past employers that should remain nameless I have in one way or another encountered this type individual.

For theoritical purposes consider this.
She dresses provocatevely, always stands in provocative poses.

Example:

She drops something, and needs to pick up and object from the floor. The natural way to pick such an object is to bend your knees kneel and pick up this object. The unatural provocative way to do it is to first step turn around and have the back face the viewer. With her legs perfectly straight, bend over, prop her but to the air hoping for everyone to see. Arch her back a bit like a female dog in heat. Then after picking such said object prop her chest up and twirl her hair back.

This same employee will be witnessed flirting randomly with others.
Sharing her personal lifestyle for all to hear whether you ask or not. Useless information about how she partied, how she woke up, how much she drank, how much her bf sucks and occasionally that shes available.

Then when she applies for another position and gets.. talked to about her being a distraction at work she tears her eyes up about sexual harrasment she receives at the work place! Bullcrap!

Sexual harrasment should be more specifically defined. There should be a policy regarding on how to go about fighting sexually harrasment. There should be a level order use of "persuasion" to fight the harrasment. For example first step would be to notify the individual the harrasment is taking place. Next step would be to go to your supervisor and or HR. Next step to go to their superior, next step to go to corporate, if that fails, after there is proof that all this steps have been taken place, then should the case be seriously considered for legal action.

I strongly disagree with the notion that a particular gender, especially men, should be automatically placed at fault in matters of sexual harassment. It's like one blaming Firestone for each and every Ford Explorer that's flipped over on the freeway.

As the old Chinese proverb puts it, "a slap in the air ain't going to cause a clapping sound".

In order for this whole event to have been triggered in the first place, both parties must have contributed in some way throughout the process. Such contribution could've been completely unintentional, accidental or even innocent. Who knows?

The last and most important things to figure out would be: how much fault is there to be placed on each party.

Jon

WELL GOOD LUCK TO OUR PAST PRESIDENT AND TO OUR NEW ONE!



Were you referring to Clinton here? if so then I took it wrong, I thought you were referencing Otaka there. Sorry.

I see what everyone is saying and I understand all of that I understand the rules, I was only making a point as to how difficult it is in the business world for sincere cases where you have women(not referring specifically to this toyota women) who've contributed nothing toward unwanted sexual advancements especially when it involves high powered execs. All of those text book rules and procedures tend to go out the window because of the level of power they have, its a different world at the level.

Obviously this report leaves alot out, who really knows the extent of the harassment and if it really happened in the first place, well something had to happened because he stepped down.

Wednesday, May 10, 2006

Jim Press leaves sales to lead investor affairs post, a rank rarely given to non-Japanese.

Christine Tierney / The Detroit News

http://cmsimg.detnews.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=C3&Date=20060510&Category=AUTO01&ArtNo=605100368&Ref=H3&Profile=1148&MaxW=1500&Q=100&title=1
Charles Rex Arbogast / Associated Press
Jim Press will become president of Toyota Motor North America.

About Jim Press

Jim Press, 59, left Ford Motor Co. in 1970 to join Toyota Motor Corp., which was then just a bit player in the U.S. market.

He rose to be president and chief operating officer of Toyota Motor Sales USA and is one of the few non-Japanese managing officers of Toyota Motor Corp.

A former championship swimmer, Press still starts the day with a 90-minute workout in the pool.
Toyota Motor Corp.'s most visible American executive is leaving a top sales post at a crucial juncture for the Japanese automaker but may be assuming a more prominent role as the new president of the Toyota operation handling government and investor relations.

With the Japanese automaker expanding its U.S. market share and manufacturing presence, Jim Press will be on the front line to quell any backlash against the fast-growing company.

The company announced late on Monday that Press, 59, president and chief operating officer of Toyota Motor Sales USA, would become president of Toyota Motor North America, taking over most functions from CEO Hideaki Otaka who is leaving under a cloud.

"It's a growing responsibility as the profile of our company grows in North America," Press told The Detroit News Tuesday.

"It's a big job," said consultant Jim Hossack at Auto Pacific in Tustin, Calif. "It involves an American in a more senior position than an American has ever been in at Toyota."

Some industry experts wondered, however, about the decision to move Press out of the sales operation just as Toyota is preparing key launches, such as the full-size Tundra pickup.

Press is widely viewed as having greatly contributed to Toyota's success in the United States and the establishment of Lexus as the leading luxury brand.

"He loves dealers," said Hoot McInerney, a Michigan dealer. "He's with us all the time."

Last month, Toyota edged out DaimlerChrysler AG for the first time to become the third-largest seller of cars and trucks in the United States after General Motors Corp. and Ford Motor Co.

Toyota is second to GM in worldwide sales, but generates more profit than any other automaker. Analysts expect it to report operating profit in excess of $15.7 billion today when it issues its full-year earnings. More than half of its profit is generated in North America.

Toyota's complicated North American organizational structure comprises separate sales and manufacturing subsidiaries that are nominally headed by Toyota Motor North America. That subsidiary, based in New York, handles corporate planning and state, government and investor relations.

The company suffered a big embarrassment last week, when Otaka's former executive assistant sued him and the company for sexual harassment.

"We take this issue very seriously," Press said. "Ours is one of the most admired companies in America. We want to make sure that we retain the integrity we have."

Toyota said Monday that Otaka would step down and that it would form a task force to study its harassment and discrimination policies. It said Yuki Funo, chairman and CEO of Toyota Motor Sales, was appointed chairman and CEO of Toyota Motor North America but retains his current responsibilities.

By contrast, Press is giving up his position as president of Toyota Motor Sales. That position will remain vacant, but Group Vice President Jim Lentz has been promoted two levels to executive vice president and will assume Press' operational responsibilities.

As a managing officer of Toyota Motor Corp., a rank awarded to few non-Japanese executives, Press will continue to wield influence over a wide range of issues.

"I'll be involved in overall business activities at a higher level," he said.

Press said the job changes had been in the works before the scandal erupted at the Toyota Motor North America affiliate based in New York City.

"Harry [Otaka] had been scheduled to move to another position. I was scheduled to move to New York," he said.

"Harry elected to leave the job earlier than planned. Luckily, there's someone at Toyota Motor Sales ready and willing to take over what I've been doing."

Lentz has risen rapidly at Toyota and was promoted last year to head Toyota division sales after having managed the successful new youth-oriented Scion brand.

"I'm 100 percent comfortable with Jim Lentz," said Julie Dunning, general manager and dealer principal at Dunning Toyota Ann Arbor.

"When they get that high up in Toyota, they're all qualified," she said.

Over the next few weeks, Press will assist Lentz with the transition.

"My role is to be more of a sounding board for him," he said. "Toyota Motor Sales' priority is to continue to enhance the level of customer satisfaction and dealer satisfaction.

"We want to make sure to continue to prepare for the launch of the Tundra and take advantage of the product rejuvenation at both Toyota and Lexus," Press said.

The main risks to the company, he fears, are the arrogance and complacency that can set into successful groups.

"The biggest risk is that we believe that we may be unstoppable and that we quit being modest and start believing that we're better than we are," he said.

source : detnews