Japan America Society to Honor Yoshi Inaba, President and CEO, Toyota Motor Sales, USA, Inc. and Kitaro, Grammy and Golden Globe Award Winning Artist.

Business & News Editors

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 15, 2002

The Japan America Society will award its Kokusai Shimin Sho "International Citizen's Award" to Mr. Yoshi Inaba, President and CEO, Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc., at the Society's 93rd Annual Dinner and Gala Celebration.

In addition, Grammy and Golden Globe Award Winning Composer/Musician, Kitaro will be awarded the Japan America Society's "Art Without Borders Award." The dinner will take place at 6:30 p.m. on Friday, April 19, 2002, in the Bunker Hill Ballroom at the Omni Los Angeles Hotel at California Plaza, 251 South Olive Street in Downtown Los Angeles. For more information about the dinner, as well as tickets and sponsorship opportunities, please contact Ms. Nobuko Calisher at the Japan America Society: [phone], ext. 205.

Mr. Yoshi Inaba

Yoshi Inaba is president and CEO of Toyota Motor Sales (TMS), U.S.A., Inc. He oversees all of Toyota's sales and marketing operations in the United States, excluding Hawaii, and he is a member of TMS Board of Directors and Chairman of the Executive Committee.

Inaba joined Toyota in 1968 after earning an economics degree from Kyoto University in Japan. His career has centered on overseas business, and he has served four extended stints at Toyota operations outside of Japan.

He has held a number of positions worldwide, including manager, Middle East Division of Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC); senior executive coordinator, Toyota Germany; and assistant general manager, Europe Division of TMC.

In 1993, he began his first assignment at TMS headquarters as group vice president, Toyota Division. In 1996, he became senior vice president and coordinating officer for TMS. He was responsible for coordinating sales and planning activities for Toyota and Lexus.

Inaba returned to Japan in 1997 to become general manager of Europe and Africa Division and a member of the Toyota Motor Corporation's Board of Directors.

In the mid-1970s, he earned an MBA in marketing from Northwestern University's Kellogg Graduate School of Management in Illinois.

Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc.

Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A (TMS) is the marketing, distribution and sales/service organization for Toyota and Lexus in the United States.

In 1957 Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A. opened for business in a small dealership. After the first Toyota vehicle, the "Toyopet Crown" was unloaded at a dock in Long Beach, California, Toyota sold only 287 Toyopets and one Land Cruiser during its first full year in America.

Toyota brought the "Corona" to America in 1965, which gave the company staying power in the U.S.'s tough automobile market. Toyota sold its one-millionth vehicle in the United States seven years later, becoming the leading importer of passenger cars in 1975. In 1983, Toyota introduced the "Camry" sedan, which has become the best-selling passenger car in America for the past four years.

Today, Toyota Motor Sales USA's more than 1,400 dealers have helped the company achieve sales of more than one million Toyota and Lexus vehicles annually over the past 11 years. The year 2000 was Toyota's best ever in America with sales totaling over 1.6 million vehicles. And of these Toyota vehicles sold, more than 60% are built in North America and sourced with parts from North American suppliers. Toyota's stated goal is "to become the most successful and respected car company in America."

Kitaro

Composer/synthesist Kitaro has won worldwide acclaim for the beauty of his music, as well as his mystical presentation and unique imagination. The artist, long a leading exponent of new-age music worldwide, says he receives his inspiration from nature.

Kitaro taught himself to play electric guitar in high school, and in the early 1970s, he formed The Far East Family Band, which released two albums of progressive rock. In 1972, he met the innovative German synthesist Klaus Schulze during a trip to Europe, and soon built his own synthesizer and began experimenting with the instrument. His first solo album, "Astral Voyage," appeared in 1978 and quickly gained a cult following.

In 1980, he produced the first of several soundtracks for "Silk Road," a Japanese television documentary series that ran for five years. Several albums of music from "Silk Road" were released to a growing international contingent of fans that admired his combination of lush, majestic textures and gentle, almost naive, melodies.

After years of creating albums in the privacy of his home studio near Japan's Mt. Fuji, Kitaro produced his 1987 release, "The Light of the Spirit." The album featured an array of American musicians and was nominated for a Grammy, and won the "Japan Record of the Year Special Award." That year he also made his first live tour of North America and sold two million albums in the U.S. alone.

Kitaro served as music director for the 1993 film production "Heaven and Earth," directed by Oliver Stone, and was honored "Composer's Award" for his achievement at the 51st Golden Globe Awards. In 1999, Kitaro signed with Domo Records. After 6 separate nominations, he finally won a Grammy for 2001 Best New Age Album with "Thinking of You." His 2001 album, "Ancient," was also nominated for a 2002 Grammy award. His latest album released this year is titled "An Ancient Journey."

Kitaro lives outside Boulder, Colorado, USA, on a 180-acre ranch. He composes his music in his 2,500-square-foot home studio "Mochi House," which is large enough to hold a 70-piece orchestra.

Kokusai Shimin Sho "International Citizens Award"

The Japan America Society's Kokusai Shimin Sho award, translated in English, "International Citizen's Award", will be awarded to Mr. Yoshi Inaba, President and CEO of Toyota Motor Sales (TMS), U.S.A., Inc.

The International Citizens Award is a perpetual honor awarded to persons who have substantively and significantly enhanced understanding between Japan and the United State and who are committed to strengthen the bonds between these two nations.

Previous recipients of International Citizens Award include:

C. Michael Armstrong, Chairman and CEO, AT&T
Walter F. Beran, Co-Chairman Emeritus, Ernst & Young LLP
Philip M. Condit, Chairman and CEO, Boeing Company
Yoshikazu Hanawa, Chairman and CEO, Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
Takashi Kiuchi, Chairman and CEO, Mitsubishi America Corporation
Minoru Makihara, Chairman, Mitsubishi International Corp.
Prime Minister Yasuhiro Nakasone, Government of Japan
Richard M. Rosenberg, Chairman and CEO, Bank of America
Tasuku Takagaki, Chairman, Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi
Dr. Shoichiro Toyoda, Chairman, Toyota Motor Corporation
Ambassador Taizo Watanabe, Government of Japan
Governor Pete Wilson, State of California

Japan America Society's "Art Without Borders" Award

The Japan America Society's Art Without Borders award recognizes individuals whose unique artistic vision transcends national and cultural borders, and whose work brings us closer together in a shared experience that enhances our humanity and mutual appreciation.

"Kitaro's work has embodied these ideal for decades," comments Barry Keehn, president of the Japan America Society. Keehn adds, "We are proud to name Kitaro as the recipient of the Art Without Borders Award."

Sponsorship and Tickets for the Japan America Society's 93rd Annual Dinner and Gala Celebration

Platinum Table of 10:   $10,000
Gold Table of 10:  $5000
Silver Table of 10:  $3000
Individual Ticket: $250

For more information, table reservations, individual reservations, and sponsorship opportunities, please contact Ms. Nobuko Calisher, Japan America Society, [phone], ext. 205.

Japan America Society

The Japan America Society is the West Coast's premier organization dedicated to strengthening ties between the United States and Japan. Founded in 1909, the Japan America Society is a 501(c)3, not-for-profit organization that receives a majority of its operating revenue through annual membership fees from nearly 150 U.S. and Japanese corporate members and over 3,000 individual members in the Southern California region. All donations to the Japan America Society's Annual Dinner and Gala Celebration are tax deductible.

The Japan America Society organizes and sponsors nearly 100 educational, business, political, social, and cultural programs every year. These programs feature leaders and newsmakers from Japan and the United States who are on the cutting edge of U.S-Japan, and U.S.-Pacific Rim relations.