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HOME  >  About Us  >  Prospectus and History

About Us

Prospectus and History

The Toyota Foundation is a grant-making foundation established in 1974 by the Toyota Motor Corporation. The Foundation views events from a global perspective as it works to support activities that bring broad, long-term benefits to society. It identifies issues in a wide range of areas in line with the needs of the times, including human and natural environments, social welfare, and education and culture, and provides grants for research and projects that address these issues.

Prospectus

Sakichi Toyoda, the founder in 1926 of Toyoda Automatic Loom Works, the original Toyota Company, contributed to the good of society through inventions concerning automatic looms. His son Kiichiro carried on his work by diversifying into automobile manufacturing, thus laying the groundwork for the growth of the Toyota Group.

Toyota's guiding philosophy is to make the automobile an integral and beneficial part of a prosperous society. It puts this philosophy into action both through its normal corporate activities and in other ways which directly benefit society, such as contributing in the construction of facilities for cultural activities, promoting education on transport safety, and working to improve the environment.

This philosophy guided Toyota in its decision to commemorate its fortieth year in the automobile industry by establishing The Toyota Foundation in 1974. The goal of the Foundation is to contribute toward the realization of a more people-oriented society and a resulting increase in human happiness.

The Foundation will view events from a global perspective as it works to support activities for the benefit of society. Its support will be aimed at identifying current problems in the following areas: (1) human and natural environments; (2) social welfare; (3) education and culture. Grants will be provided for research and projects consistent with these interests. Toyota Motor Company, Ltd., and Toyota Motor Sales Company, Ltd., jointly provided the Foundation's original endowment.

The founders hope that as the Foundation works to achieve its objectives it will play an important role in meeting the demands of contemporary society.

September 19, 1974

Eiji Toyoda, President, Toyota Motor Co., Ltd.
Shotaro Kamiya, President, Toyota Motor Sales Co., Ltd.

  • The Toyota Foundation logo expresses the three areas identified in the prospectus: (1) human and natural environments, (2) social welfare, and (3) education and culture.

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History

'Jun. 2010 Launch of "Vision 2010: Building a Better Future."'
'Apr. 2009 Adapting to the New System Governing Public Interest Corporations'
'Apr. 2009 Asian Neighbors Network Program relaunched as Asian Neighbors Program'
'Oct. 2008 Commission on the Foundation's Vision organized.'
'Apr. 2008 Communication with Society Program and Initiative Program begins'
'Mar. 2007 Atsuko Toyama appointed president'
'Apr. 2005 Asian Neighbors Network Program begins'
'Apr. 2004 Grant Program for Community Activities started in place of Grant Program for Civil Society'
'Oct. 2003 Advisory Committee on the Toyota Foundation's Vision and Initiative established'
'Apr. 2003 Asian Neighbors Network subprogram begins'
'Jul. 1998 Tatsuro Toyoda appointed chairman, Shosaburo Kimura appointed president'
'Jul. 1998 Exhibition on "A Mysterious World of Ancient Designs: Lacquerware from the Tombs of Hubei, China" cohosted at Tokyo National Museum'
'Apr. 1996 Grant Program for Civil Society begins (ended fiscal 2003)'
'Apr. 1995 Southeast Asian Studies Regional Exchange Program (SEASREP) begins'
'Jan. 1995 Twentieth-Anniversary Symposium on "Cultural Issues in the Asia Pacific Region for the 21st Century" held'
'Sep. 1994 Twentieth-Anniversary Exhibition on "The Maritime Silk Road: Artifacts and Culture of the Champa kingdom" held'
'Dec. 1993 "Know Our Neighbors" Program wins Special Prize at the Japan Mecenat Awards sponsored by the Association for Corporate Support of the Arts'
'Dec. 1990 Switched to a chairman-board of directors system. Eiji Toyoda appointed chairman, Soichi Iijima appointed president'
'Apr. 1988 Grant Program for Citizen Activities begins (later developed into the Grant Program for Civil Society)'
'Sep. 1987 Public Symposium on "Thai Art History: Mural paintings and Stone Architecture" held'
'Oct. 1984 Tenth-Anniversary International Symposium on "The Future of Private Grant-Making Foundations" held'
'Feb. 1982 Fifth-Anniversary Traveling Symposium on "Cities and Architecture: Western-Style Architecture in Japan during the Meiji, Taisho, and Early Showa Eras (1868-1941)" held'
'Oct. 1979 Research Contest on the Theme "Observing the Community Environment" begins (ended fiscal 1997)'
'Aug. 1979 Fifth-Anniversary International Workshop on Living Children's Theater held'
'Oct. 1978 "Know Our Neighbors" Japan Translation-Publication Program begins (ended fiscal 2003)'
'Apr. 1976 International Grants begin (later became the International Grant Program and Southeast Asian National Research Program (ended fiscal 2004)'
'Apr. 1975 Research Grants begin'
'Oct. 15, 1974 Toyota Foundation established (chartering agency: General Administrative Agency of the Cabinet). Eiji Toyoda appointed chairman and Yujiro Hayashi executive director.'

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