Hiroshi Okuda (奥田 碩) died on 8 August at age 93. He served as president and chairman of Toyota Motor Corporation, leading reforms including the accelerated launch of the Prius and the expansion of the company's overseas operations.
Hiroshi Okuda (奥田 碩) was born in Tsu, Mie Prefecture, graduated from Hitotsubashi University in 1955 and joined Toyota Motor Sales. After working in accounting and serving overseas, he rose through the ranks and became president of Toyota Motor Corporation in 1995. He was the first president from outside the founding family.
After taking office, he pursued organizational restructuring, accelerated overseas expansion and investment in environmental technologies while confronting challenges including the delayed recovery of the domestic market and Toyota's lagging lineup of RVs. In addition to the United States and Europe, he advanced Toyota's full-scale entry into China and expanded its production capacity.
In 1997, Toyota launched the mass-produced hybrid vehicle Prius ahead of schedule. The company pursued a product strategy focused on fuel efficiency and environmental performance, laying the foundation for its subsequent growth into the world's largest automaker.
In 1999, he became chairman of Toyota and also served as chairman of Nikkeiren that year. In 2002, following the merger of Nikkeiren and Keidanren, he became the first chairman of the Japan Business Federation, strengthening the business community's influence. After leaving the position, he also served as the first governor of the Japan Bank for International Cooperation, influencing policymaking.