Tomikawa

Are you going to live in Woven City?

Toyoda

Me? I’m a very busy man (laughs). You know, after joining Toyota, in my 30s and 40s I never slept in the same place for three nights straight.

Tomikawa

It’s much the same now.

Toyoda

That’s the kind of life I lead. Until I became president, I had only spent one year at the head office, and the rest working in the genba. That’s how it has always been. Although these days I do commute from home a bit more often.

Tomikawa

Really? You’re telling me this is more than before?

Toyoda

It has increased of late, but I really do move around. When I was president, “headquarters” was wherever I happened to be.

These days we live in a digital society with all kinds of tools. In the days of paper communication, to receive information you had to go back to the head office, but now you can access it basically anywhere. And you can respond from anywhere.

In that sense, I can be wherever I like, but it’s hard to stay in any one place for days at a time.

Tomikawa

Of course.

Toyoda

So, to begin with, the first residents will be Toyota and Woven by Toyota employees and their families.

After all, we don’t have any izakaya (casual Japanese bar) yet, or convenience stores. It’s not ready for the general public. Making the city of the future is not as simple as just laying down roads for automated driving.

Tomikawa

Which means you need to build izakaya and convenience stores as well, right?

Toyoda

Without them, you couldn’t have regular people leading regular lives there within five years. That’s what we mean by human-centered.

Tomikawa

That’s true. You have to tackle these one by one. Of course, even the most convenient and human-centered transportation is meaningless if you can’t lead a normal life.

Toyoda

The idea of robots doing everything for you is all well and good, but you can’t have that without an izakaya. Call me old-fashioned.

Tomikawa

People will still be people in the future.

Toyoda

And there are all kinds of different people.

Tomikawa

What kind of izakaya can we expect to find in Woven City?

Toyoda

The robots might at least be able to make cocktails. Since we’re talking about “well-being,” it won’t be alcohol, but perhaps taste like alcohol while also being good for you. As for atmosphere… it could be something with an izakaya feel.

Places everyone can enjoy, whether they drink alcohol or not.

Tomikawa

For example, being able to tell what an izakaya customer needs just by their face.

Toyoda

Yes, exactly. Whether they’re lacking something nutritional. And once someone has had two or three drinks, alcohol service automatically stops. But perhaps the taste remains the same. I think there are many possibilities.

Tomikawa

With Nissin, DyDo, and UCC involved, such things might really be possible.

Toyoda

When considering what UCC would do in the city, and what Nissin could do, I think they may have had the same goal in mind.

Tomikawa

Even just imagining it like this is exciting.

Toyoda

At the press session earlier, I said that the immediate goal should be a city where 2,000 people can enjoy leading a regular life.

Tomikawa

Speaking of which, let me return to one of the questions raised by the press. At the end of last year, there was news that Nissan and Honda were discussing a merger.

Toyoda

This is where your TV presenter side comes out.

Tomikawa

I do have a news background.

Toyoda

Hitting me with the topics the world wants to hear, the comments they want to get from me.

Tomikawa

I heard the phrase “press session”, and I jumped at it. So, let me ask you: what is your position on the Nissan-Honda merger?

Toyoda

I am a carmaker, and I think having a lot of car options is more exciting for customers. From our perspective as automobile manufacturers, stronger competition is better.

As a carmaker, I look forward to seeing what kind of exciting vehicles Nissan and Honda come up with together.

I think this will make the automotive market more exciting and competitive, in a good way, and I’m eagerly anticipating products that are more than just the sum of their parts.

Tomikawa

When they come out with a “wow” product, Toyota will have to respond in kind.

Toyoda

Of course. I think this sort of competition benefits the market.

Tomikawa

Thank you. To wrap up the Woven City information, you revealed that residents, mainly Toyota employees and their families, will begin moving in this fall, with an eventual planned population of around 360 in Phase 1.

In the future, the plan is to expand to 2,000 residents across all areas, and Toyota Times will be there to share the journey with you.

Toyoda

Why don’t you do the program at Woven City? Set up a studio in one of the rooms and do it regularly.

Tomikawa

I could stay there as well.

Toyoda

Get all kinds of people to come and stay. People who can spread the message.

Tomikawa

Great idea. We can get input from many different people.

Toyoda

You’ll have to wait a while.

Tomikawa

Until the izakaya is ready?

Toyoda

Wait a bit longer, until they iron out the initial bugs.

Tomikawa

That would be about another year.

Toyoda

Instead of waiting until then, if you tell them when you’re moving in, that will set a deadline. It’s good to put some pressure on.

Tomikawa

We’ve got that on record.

Toyoda

Right. You should definitely do that. These are the things Toyota Times can do, and I’m sure people want to know more.

Tomikawa

We will keep spreading the word. Thank you very much for your time today.

Toyoda

Thank you.

Tomikawa

I look forward to our conversations this year.