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Jim Press becomes Toyota's first non-Japanese director

Jim Press, the top man of Toyota's North American operations, got the go-ahead from shareholders yesterday to become the first non-Japanese member of the automaker's board of directors.

Press, 60, a 37-year veteran at Toyota Motor Corp, was appointed to the board in April, the latest step in Toyota's efforts to bolster its standing as an international company.

Shareholders approved the move yesterday in Toyota city, where the automaker is based, at a nearly two-hour meeting attended by more than 2,500 people, the company said.

The approval comes as Toyota is boosting sales in North America and grabbing market share away from the Detroit automakers. But that success has aroused concern at Toyota of a political backlash in the US. Lawmakers from manufacturing states have charged the Japanese government has kept the yen artificially low, giving Japanese automakers an advantage.

Press' promotion is part of Toyota's overall effort to strengthen diversity and empower regional management as the company grows increasingly international, said Yasuaki Iwamoto, auto analyst with Okasan Securities Co in Tokyo.

"It's part of Toyota's efforts to become a Japanese company that has roots in America," he said. "It's also a recognition of Mr Press' achievements, especially the fact that he has truly become a Toyota man."

More broadly speaking, Press' appointment points to the growing presence of foreigners in senior positions at Japanese companies, which for decades were wary of non-Japanese in high places in management.

In recent years, foreign chief executives have grown more common, including high-profile ones such as British-American Howard Stringer at Sony Corp and Brazilian-born Carlos Ghosn at Nissan Motor Co.

Press has been the most visible figure in the US for the manufacturer of the Camry sedan, Prius hybrid and Lexus luxury models. As head of Toyota Motor Sales USA, he led Toyota's rapid sales climb from a 9.3 percent market share in the US in 2000 to 13.1 percent in 2005.
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