Toyoda makes WSJ's top 12 watchlist

The Wall Street Journal picked Akio Toyoda, president of Toyota Motor Corp., as one of 12 Corporate Executives to Watch Next Year on Friday, saying that 2012 may be a "make or break year" for the chief of Japan's top automaker.

In its Asian edition for Friday to Monday, the U.S. business daily noted that Toyoda has pledged to keep producing 3 million vehicles in Japan annually at a time when its domestic rivals are rushing to move production offshore to offset the strong yen.

"Is what's good for Japan good for Toyota and vice versa?" asked the paper, referring to Toyoda's vow to halt Japan's hollowing out and lift Toyota's low stock price.

Among other executives named were Apple Inc.'s CEO Tim Cook, Cyrus Mistry, who is set to become chairman of Indian conglomerate Tata Group next year, and Fu Chengyu, chairman of Chinese petroleum and chemicals company Sinopec.