Toyota, the Japanese car giant announced on Tuesday that it would be investing nearly $1 billion more in U.S. projects. This move is expected to create dozens of new jobs throughout several states. This announcement came just days after Toyota’s CEO Akio toyoda wore a MAGA red hat and a Trump-Vance red t-shirt while attending a NASCAR race in Japan.
According to a report in the New York Post, Sunday’s Trump themed event at Toyota Fuji Speedway included top drivers, an audience waving American flags, and a guest appearance by US Ambassador to Japan George Glass. With the event, the leading executive in the auto industry addressed the emerging trade negotiations that have largely focused on automobile imports between the U.S.
I’m not here today to debate whether tariffs should be good or bad. Toyoda, speaking ahead of the endurance event, said that every national leader is trying to protect his own industry. We are looking at ways of making tariffs work for all. “Our customers are the people that we most want to win,” said Mr. He added.
Japan currently faces a baseline of 15 percent on imports. This is down from the initial 27.5 percent figure following an extensive trade agreement signed in September.
“Start your engines! Glass shared photos of the day’s [NASCAR] race at Fuji Speedway, with Chairman [Toyota] Akio toyoda. We look forward to celebrating the culture and history of 
racing again in Japan 
as part of next year’s [America 250] celebrations.
Toyota is currently the United States’ second largest seller of new cars behind General Motors. The company announced a $912 million new investment to expand the production of hybrid vehicles across five factories in the United States.
Toyota will invest close to 60 billion dollars in the U.S. since 1957. This initiative is expected to create 252 manufacturing jobs. The announcement on Tuesday is part of a larger pledge to invest up to $10 billion in the United States over five years.
These funds will be used to support key infrastructure in southern United States. They include $453,000,000 for the Buffalo, West Virginia facility for the 4-cylinder hybrid assembly operation, $204.4,000,000 for the Georgetown, Kentucky Plant for a new machine line that can produce up to 700,000.00 hybrid compatible engines per year starting in 2027, $57.1,000,000 for the Troy, Missouri for the cylinder heads production of more than 200,000 units annually from 2027, and investments for the Blue Springs Mississippi, Jackson Tennessee and hybrid components in Blue Springs and Jackson Tennessee.
According to Motor Intelligence Data, Toyota is the market leader for hybrid vehicles in the United States. It holds more than 51% of the total current market share until the third quarter 2025.
Kevin Voelkel said that the US manufacturing team is preparing to meet this growing demand. Toyota’s philosophy of building where it sells is a philosophy we are committed to. By adding jobs in the US and increasing investment across our footprint we will continue to adhere to this philosophy.
