Corolla Cross Production Moves to Iwate: A Symbol of Recovery and Regional Pride
In May 2025, Toyota made a significant move that highlights both its corporate vision and its commitment to regional revitalization. The production base for the Corolla Cross, one of the brand’s most popular and globally recognized vehicles, was officially transferred from the company’s long-established Takaoka Plant to the Iwate Plant, which is operated by Toyota Motor East Japan (TMEJ). This relocation is more than a shift in manufacturing—it carries symbolic weight for the Tohoku region and reflects Toyota’s broader approach to community building through the automotive industry.
Just two months after the transfer, in July 2025, TMEJ celebrated the milestone by hosting a special Corolla fan event in Iwate. A total of 49 Corolla owners and their families, amounting to 78 participants from across Japan, gathered to take part. The event served as both a celebration of the Corolla Cross’s new production base and a way to connect Toyota more deeply with its loyal customer base.
Iwate Governor Takuya Tasso expressed his gratitude and optimism for what this move means for the prefecture and the wider Tohoku region. For a region that has faced immense challenges since the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake, having the Corolla Cross—a global symbol of Toyota’s success—produced locally is a source of pride and a step toward long-term revitalization.
Corolla: A Legacy of Global Impact
The Corolla nameplate carries a weight of history and achievement. Since its debut in 1966, the Corolla has become one of the most successful cars in automotive history. It has been sold in over 150 countries and regions, with global sales surpassing 50 million units. Generations of drivers around the world have owned a Corolla, and it remains one of Toyota’s flagship models, embodying the company’s reputation for reliability, affordability, and innovation.
Now, with the Corolla Cross—a key model within the Corolla series—being produced in Iwate, the Tohoku region has become an important part of this global story. The move not only reinforces Toyota’s confidence in the plant’s capabilities but also integrates the spirit of resilience and recovery that defines Tohoku into the Corolla legacy.
TMEJ and Toyota’s Long-Term Commitment to Tohoku
Toyota Motor East Japan (TMEJ) was established in 2012, just one year after the Great East Japan Earthquake. From its inception, the company was envisioned as both an industrial hub and a symbol of recovery. Toyota’s Chairman, Akio Toyoda, has been a consistent advocate for the region. Since the disaster, he has visited Tohoku and TMEJ almost every year, delivering messages of encouragement and support.
Toyoda’s remarks over the years reflect a philosophy that goes beyond corporate responsibility—it is about building sustainable futures together with local communities:
- “I wanted to create a future for the Tohoku region together with everyone in the region through car manufacturing.”
- “Continuous recovery support cultivates people, who in turn cultivate others, and I have truly felt that happening here.”
- “For these 10 years, I have thought that one plus one would not necessarily come to two but could possibly become a three or four if we worked hard together with our friends of this area starting from a difficult situation.”
Even as recently as last year, Toyoda reiterated Toyota’s commitment on the “Voice-Only Toyota Times News,” saying: “We needed to establish the automobile industry here, to continue long-term operations, thereby creating jobs, generating profits, and paying taxes. That is what we see as the best way to contribute to society.”
The Corolla Cross as a Symbol of Resilience
By producing the Corolla Cross at the Iwate Plant, Toyota is not only expanding the facility’s importance but also sending a strong message of resilience. The Corolla Cross, a model that combines practicality, versatility, and efficiency, has quickly become one of Toyota’s bestsellers in multiple markets. Its presence in Iwate reflects how the region’s manufacturing capability is contributing directly to global mobility.
For local workers, this achievement provides not only employment but also a sense of pride in being part of a product with such international significance. For the Tohoku community, it stands as another symbol of how recovery efforts continue to take shape in meaningful and sustainable ways.
Motorsports and Community Spirit
As part of the celebrations around the Corolla Cross production transfer, another exciting announcement was made. A Rally Challenge Pre-event will be held in Iwate in February 2026. This event fulfills a long-cherished dream of Iwate-born rally driver Masahiro Sasaki, who had once shared with Chairman Toyoda his aspiration to hold a rally in his hometown. Now, that dream is becoming reality, further blending motorsport culture with the spirit of local pride and recovery.
A Future Driven by Collaboration
The relocation of Corolla Cross production to Iwate is about more than cars—it is about people, communities, and shared futures. Toyota’s continued investment in TMEJ reflects its belief that corporate responsibility extends beyond the factory floor. By creating jobs, fostering pride, and supporting local aspirations, Toyota is ensuring that the Corolla Cross is not just made in Iwate but also rooted in the hopes and resilience of the region.
As the Corolla continues to evolve and reach millions worldwide, its production in Iwate adds a new chapter to its story—one written not only in terms of global success but also in the language of recovery, perseverance, and community spirit.
