Following a week like no other for Japanese carmaker Toyota's management in the US, the battle to win back the hearts and minds of consumers will move to China, where Toyota will address the safety issues caused by its recall in a press conference scheduled for Monday.
The press conference will be headed by Toyota's CEO, Akio Toyoda, according to Toyota spokesman Hitoshi Yokoyama, talking for Reuters. The aim of the conference is to "explain to the public about its recent quality issues."
"Given China's strong sense of rivalry with the U.S., after we explained our situation to American lawmakers and apologized to U.S. customers last week, there isn't an option for Mr. Toyoda and the company to skip China," an US based senior Toyota executive told The Wall Street Journal.
Toyota announced last month it will recall 75,000 cars due to the same accelerator issue which prompted the biggest recall in the carmaker's history. All vehicles recalled in China are RAV4 cars manufactured locally between March 2009 and January 2010.
As for China, when the recall became serious back in January this year, the country's government welcomed the measures set in place by Toyota to address its problems.
"It is a good thing. The moves are responsible," Chang Xiaocun, head of the commerce ministry's market network development department said last month. "I hope every automaker would recall when problems occur. It is part of after-sales service."
Akio Toyoda appeared last week before the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, after he received an official invitation from Congress.
The press conference will be headed by Toyota's CEO, Akio Toyoda, according to Toyota spokesman Hitoshi Yokoyama, talking for Reuters. The aim of the conference is to "explain to the public about its recent quality issues."
"Given China's strong sense of rivalry with the U.S., after we explained our situation to American lawmakers and apologized to U.S. customers last week, there isn't an option for Mr. Toyoda and the company to skip China," an US based senior Toyota executive told The Wall Street Journal.
Toyota announced last month it will recall 75,000 cars due to the same accelerator issue which prompted the biggest recall in the carmaker's history. All vehicles recalled in China are RAV4 cars manufactured locally between March 2009 and January 2010.
As for China, when the recall became serious back in January this year, the country's government welcomed the measures set in place by Toyota to address its problems.
"It is a good thing. The moves are responsible," Chang Xiaocun, head of the commerce ministry's market network development department said last month. "I hope every automaker would recall when problems occur. It is part of after-sales service."
Akio Toyoda appeared last week before the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, after he received an official invitation from Congress.