★ First book by Fujii Hideki, Toyota Motor's current Fellow (Toyota's highest technical expert title)! An eyewitness account of President Akio Toyoda's management battles over 5012 days.
(Note: The “Fellow” title represents the pinnacle of Toyota's technical career ladder, surpassing managerial ranks like “Director” or “Executive.” This insider perspective offers unparalleled depth and authenticity in interpreting Akio Toyoda's management philosophy.)
★ Ranked #7 on Rakuten Books' Mechanical Engineering Weekly Chart in Japan, and entered the business category Top 10 within 3 days of release!
★ First disclosure of global crisis response insider stories from 2009 to 2023, covering over 10 major events including loss reversal, the Great East Japan Earthquake, and million-unit recalls.
★ Through the perspective of a close secretary for 13 years and 8 months, reveals Akio Toyoda's exclusive management philosophies like “Title Useless Theory” and “Observer Philosophy.”

“I believe my tenure was essentially one day. With business expanded globally, problems occurred somewhere every day. [...] Every day was an earnings announcement, every day was a shareholders' meeting. It was by desperately living each day that we survived today.”

The first book by Toyota Motor's current Fellow, who co-crafted the “struggle” narrative with Akio Toyoda over 5012 days.

“I am neither a journalist, nor an analyst, let alone a writer. I am just an ordinary Toyota employee who worked under Mr. Toyoda.
One thing Mr. Toyoda taught me is ‘Titles are irrelevant; in the end, the observer is strongest.’ As a subordinate and an individual with will, I always watched Mr. Toyoda's battling posture, his anguished expressions, his joyful smiles.
From May 8, 2009, when I first greeted him as his PR secretary, to January 26, 2023, when he announced his succession, it was 13 years and 8 months—5012 days in total.
Facing crises like losses, global recalls, and the Great East Japan Earthquake, gradually, my role became to verbalize Mr. Toyoda's thoughts and craft them into ‘messages.’”

Fujii Hideki
Born in Osaka Prefecture in 1968. Joined Toyota Motor Corporation in 1991. After 8 years in the Public Relations Department (corporate publications and media response), transferred to Human Resources Development in 1999. Spent 5 years on personnel management and internal training, deeply learning Toyota's HR core principles. Returned to PR in 2004, and from May 2009 served as PR secretary to President Akio Toyoda (now Chairman), beginning his role as speechwriter. Appointed Fellow in 2019, driving the creation of the independent media platform “Toyota Times.” Since 2021, exclusively served as speechwriter for President Akio Toyoda (now Chairman). This is his first book.