SHERIDAN, WYOMING – December 18, 2025 – Some business books are all frameworks and buzzwords. This one is built from days, moments, and the kind of real-world tension that comes with working directly beside a high-profile leader. My Boss Akio Toyoda: An Author's True Story of 5,012 Days was published in September, and its author—Toyota Fellow Hideki Fujii—describes it as both a business book filled with Mr. Toyoda’s words and actions, and a human story about what it feels like to be “the subordinate” who has to deliver those words to the world.
Where the book came from: a moment of “this shouldn’t disappear”
Fujii says the idea for the book grew out of a training session for newly appointed general managers held two years ago, where he arranged a chance to speak and share what he had learned. When he consulted Mr. Toyoda, he was told two things: “Thank you” and “Stories fade and disappear. If there’s something you want to pass on, why not write a book?”
For everyday readers, that’s the hook. This isn’t positioned as a glossy highlight reel—it’s an attempt to preserve lessons while they’re still vivid, before they blur into corporate legend.
A behind-the-scenes look at communication under pressure
Fujii worked under Mr. Toyoda for thirteen years and eight months during his presidency, and the book focuses heavily on communication: how messages are shaped, how intent is protected, and how words have to land with real people—not just in a boardroom.
Early on, Fujii describes a tough start after being assigned as the president’s dedicated PR representative. At their first meeting, he was told “PR is my enemy” and spent a gloomy Golden Week holiday afterward. It’s a relatable moment if you’ve ever started a new role and immediately felt the weight of expectations.
His career as a speechwriter really accelerated when he began receiving handwritten notes from the president himself. From there, the work became a kind of collaboration: imagining what Mr. Toyoda wanted to convey and crafting language that could carry it—especially when the stakes were high.
The human drama in the “small” moments
Even if you’re not a car industry person, the emotional core is familiar: mentorship, trust, fear of messing up, and the quiet pride of getting it right. Fujii points to his toughest moment as the 2020 COVID-era financial results announcement, a reminder that crisis communication isn’t just “PR”—it’s leadership under uncertainty, broadcast in real time.
When asked what Mr. Toyoda means to him, Fujii says he considers him “a boss who I want to call a mentor.” And in the studio conversation around the book, Ms. Yoshikawa responds with: “I’m jealous.”
Editorial extra: Mini FAQ for curious readers
Q: Is this a biography of Akio Toyoda?
A: It’s presented as a business book built around Mr. Toyoda’s words and actions, but also a personal story from the perspective of “Fujii, the subordinate.”
Q: What’s the “5,012 days” actually referring to?
A: Fujii’s time working under Mr. Toyoda during his presidency—thirteen years and eight months.
Q: Is it only for Toyota fans?
A: The story centers on communication, pressure, and mentorship—topics that resonate far beyond cars.
Q: What’s the main emotional theme?
A: How a demanding leadership relationship can evolve into something closer to mentorship—and how “stories” can be worth preserving before they fade.
Learn more about the book at https://www.php.co.jp/books/detail.php?isbn=978-4-569-85986-6. (PHP研究所 / PHP INTERFACE)