He's the top Toyota executive in North America but Yoshi Inaba is refusing a request by Canadian MPs to appear before them next week and face questions on his company's massive safety recall.
It was only last month that Mr. Inaba dutifully attended U.S. hearings on the same topic at the request of American lawmakers pursuing the same inquiries about Toyota.
The troubled automaker's unwillingness to make Mr. Inaba available for Canadian politicians has angered the Harper government and opposition MPs, who want to see more than just Toyota Canada officials called on the carpet.
Merv Tweed, the Conservative MP chairing a committee probing the matter, says the refusal amounts to a slight and has left the perception that Toyota is abdicating its responsibility to give a full accounting to Canadians.
Brian Jean, a Tory MP who serves as parliamentary secretary to Transport Minister John Baird, spoke for the Harper administration last night, saying “the government is extremely disappointed.”
MPs are set to grill the car maker Tuesday, and both Toyota Canada CEO Yoichi Tomihara and managing director Stephen Beatty will attend.
But the vehicle maker has balked at the Commons transport committee's request that Mr. Inaba, Toyota's North American chief, also appear.
As a senior executive, Mr. Inaba was at the table when Toyota was questioned by U.S. lawmakers in Washington last month – and the Tories say they want the auto makers to give Canada equal treatment.
Mr. Tweed, chair of the Commons transport committee, said it's highly unusual for a company to ignore a request from Parliament, adding it leaves the perception the “American market is more important” to Toyota.
Toyota Canada did not immediately respond to requests for comment but letters it sent to the Commons committee said the auto maker felt Mr. Inaba was not relevant to the Canadian hearings.
The company told MPs that while Mr. Inaba is responsible for all consolidated North American operations, Toyota Canada does not report to him.
Toyota Canada was “directly responsible” for all vehicles sold in Canada, it said.
But Mr. Tweed said Mr. Inaba's seniority surely means he's got a better sense of what happened. “I think Mr. Inaba might hold the key to some of the issues,” the chair said.
Liberal MP Joe Volpe, also on the committee, said Toyota must reverse itself. “I have very little patience for people who are not going to respect a request by parliamentarians.”
Mr. Tweed said Toyota will be asked again to send Mr. Inaba.
The Conservative committee chair didn't say what else might be done – but parliamentary committees can also issue summonses for reluctant witnesses that carry the power of subpoena in Canada.
However, Mr. Inaba does not live or work in Canada, so he could avoid any summons by staying out of the country.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/...rticle1499560/ 
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