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Toyota Braces For Backlash

Detroit Free Press, Tuesday, February 13, 2007 12 PM

In an internal report, a top Toyota executive warns that the Japanese automaker could face criticism from consumers and politicians because its U.S. sales are increasing, while Detroit's automakers are losing sales and shuttering plants.
Writing that recent market-share gains brings both risks and responsibilities, Seiichi (Sean) Sudo, president of Toyota Engineering & Manufacturing in North America, also says: "Our competitors are jealous of our success."

Detroit's congressional allies of GM, Ford and Chrysler say it's not jealousy. They say Japanese automakers are exploiting an artificially weak yen to make their products more affordable. With a new Democratic majority in Congress, Michigan's Democratic lawmakers have pledged to press harder on trade and other issues where Detroit automakers say Japanese companies have an unfair advantage.

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