Toyota's Chief to Testify in Congress

Toyota Motor Corp. President Akio Toyoda, under growing pressure from U.S. lawmakers investigating the auto maker's safety recalls, changed course and said he would appear before Congress next week, The Wall Street Journal reported.

Toyoda, who earlier balked at testifying in Washington, issued a statement hours after the chairman of the U.S. House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, Edolphus Towns (D., N.Y.), urged him to travel to the U.S. to "clarify this situation."

"I have received Congressman Towns' invitation to testify before the [committee] on Feb. 24 and I accept," Toyoda said in the statement. "I look forward to speaking directly with Congress and the American people."

Toyoda said Friday in Japan that he would like to explain matters "in all sincerity" to the U.S. Congress next week.

The presence of the CEO of the world's top-selling auto maker is sure to raise the profile of the hearings.

"I would like to make efforts to promote a better understanding of our determination to our customers, and to America," Toyoda told reporters Friday in Japan.

Toyoda said he "would be delighted to come over," and would explain Toyota's framework for investigating the cause of the recall, and emphasize Toyota's commitment to safety and to rebuilding customer confidence.

A Toyota spokeswoman told The Wall Street Journal a detailed schedule for Toyoda's trip hadn't been worked out yet, but he will meet U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood at the hearing. The spokeswoman couldn't confirm whether Toyoda would meet Lahood in a separate meeting. LaHood has said his department may seek civil penalties against Toyota for its slow response to the safety concerns.