JAPAN: Commercial Japan Partnership Technologies Corporation (CJPT) on Wednesday announced its decision to expel Hino Motors, Ltd on misconduct concerning certification testing.
Since its establishment in April 2021, CJPT has been working in the field with its partners to accelerate the spread of CASE, thereby aiming to contribute in achieving a carbon neutral society and reducing the burden on drivers and workers.
READ MORE: Toyota launches new redesigned Sienta minivan
Akio Toyoda, President of Toyota Motor Corporation (Toyota), suggested that the misconduct committed by Hino is incompatible with CJPT’s aspirations and goals and that the continued inclusion of Hino in activities will not gain the understanding of its customers and the public.
With this suggestion taken into consideration, the decision was made after discussion within CJPT.
Specifically, Hino will be excluded from all agreements, including the joint planning agreement, and Hino’s equity stake (10 percent) in CJPT will be transferred to Toyota. In the projects that CJPT is currently working on, such as the previously announced social implementation in Fukushima and Tokyo, Hino will play a minimal role to not cause inconvenience to CJPT’s customers.
READ MORE: Toyota Motors suspends production at Tsutsumi plant
Comments by Akio Toyoda, President of Toyota Motor Corporation
“As the parent company and a shareholder of Hino, we are extremely disappointed with the company’s misconduct in relation to the certification testing, which has greatly undermined the trust of our customers and all other stakeholders. Hino has committed misconduct in engine certification for a long period of time, and the company is in a situation where it is not to be recognized as one of the 5.5 million individuals in the Japanese automotive industry. CJPT is a project to build the future together, based on Japan’s CASE technology. As of now, we believe that Hino’s participation will cause inconvenience to stakeholders, and we have decided that it is appropriate to expel Hino from CJPT.
READ MORE: COVID-19 cases reported at Toyota work sites
“This conclusion was reached after discussions with the companies involved. We will continue to work with our partners on the project to solve the issues facing the transportation industry and contribute to achieving a carbon neutral society.”
