Former Toyota chief Okuda, pioneer of the Prius, dies aged 93

Former Toyota chief Hiroshi Okuda, a key figure in the company's rise to global dominance, has died at the age of 93, according to the automaker. Okuda, who led Toyota from 1995, championed the pioneering Prius hybrid and helped transform the Japanese automaker into a major player in the global market. Prior to his leadership, Toyota was seen as conservative, but Okuda sought to make the company more aggressive.

He oversaw the opening of Toyota factories abroad, contributing to the firm's position as the world's largest automaker by vehicle sales. Okuda was also a pioneer in the development of electric vehicles, with the Prius being the world's first mass-produced hybrid. Outside of Toyota, he served as the head of Japan's largest business lobby, Keidanren, and was a close government advisor.

Okuda's career even took him to the Philippines, where he crossed a jungle to meet leftist guerrillas while heading Toyota's local operations.