Toyota takes steps to beef up Japan production

An unfortunate headline to this piece. Surely "increase" would have served just as well?

Come on bobo, what's your beef with it? :-)

Toyoda believes the moves will help keep auto production in Japan and quicken product development to remain globally competitive

I am patiently waiting for PRIUS V to buy. There are not enough Toyota iinventories here in US since 3/11.

I am not planning to buy anyting else but TOYOTA! There are many royal customers like me here. This is a great news!

Reading between the lines, they are trying to reduce their costs. Merging of three companies might affect quite a number of people's jobs.

two group auto-assembly companies in Japan into wholly owned subsidiaries and will start talks on a merger of three group companies in an effort to strengthen Japanese manufacturing.

Thank you for pointing that out, Kronos. I am also wondering what would happen to a product liability issue in this business setting.