This is just the beginning of a new era of North America being a source of supply to many other parts of the world," Inaba said.
Toyota has said it wants to reduce its exports out of Japan, now around 1.7 million vehicles a year, to 1.5 million to escape currency losses. It is simultaneously looking to increase Japanese sales by 200,000 vehicles a year to keep its pledge of producing at least 3 million vehicles at home.