By YURI KAGEYAMA
AP Business Writer
TOKYO – Under fire as reticent and indecisive, Toyota President Akio Toyoda must demonstrate he is tackling safety lapses at the automaker – founded by his grandfather – when he faces a grilling by U.S. lawmakers next week.
Just half a year after being named to run the world’s No. 1 carmaker, Toyoda is confronting the worst crisis in its 70-year history – massive global recalls ballooning to 8.5 million vehicles in a matter of weeks and its once-sterling reputation for quality in tatters.
Critics are questioning whether Toyoda is up to the challenges. It’s one thing to lead a company at its peak and another to pull it through such a dire crisis.