“At the time when Toyota was promoting North American plant management self-reliance by advancing the penetration of "The Toyota Way" and adherence to the fundamentals of TPS (Toyota Production System), Toyota Motor Manufacturing Canada (TMMC) was facing a major mission: becoming the first plant to produce Lexus SUVs outside of Japan. Strengthening production preparation management, enhancing the Floor Management Development System (FMDS), and reinforcing Kaizen Circle activities were urgent needs. It was at this critical juncture that Tomoko's contributions at TMMC became especially significant.

Leveraging her bilingual skills and deep understanding of both Japanese-Canadian and broader North American cultures, together with her proactive drive for self-development and strong execution capability, she made significant contributions to the advancement of initiatives at TMMC and Toyota across North America. She quickly grasped the strategies and objectives of Toyota North America headquarters, collaborated with the TMMC management team to develop aligned local Hoshin (strategic plans) and KPI targets, and bridged the Japanese and Canadian production teams while deploying robust project management.

For her own growth, she proactively pursued and obtained North American management qualifications. Within TMMC, she continued to deepen communication between Japanese and local members while promoting the penetration of The Toyota Way, enhancing TPS implementation capability, and greatly contributing to talent development, becoming a key force in supporting the successful launch of the first Lexus production outside of Japan.

Her career at TMMC gives me confidence that she will bring the same strengths to help any organization, regardless of industry—whether striving for strong business outcomes or facing cross-cultural management challenges—by applying the Toyota Management System and TPS principles.”

Mark Okuno, Former Executive, Toyota Motor Manufacturing Canada (TMMC)