Akio Toyoda, 52, heir apparent to Japan's biggest automaker, may have the founding family's blood running through his veins but was not spoiled in any way as he steadily climbed the corporate ladder, a journalist said Tuesday.

"If Toyota wants to pamper Mr. Toyoda, it would not have nominated him as next president while the company's business is on a downtrend," said Aiichiro Mizushima, a business journalist who is writing a book on the automaker's next president.

Toyoda is the son of Shoichiro Toyoda and the grandson of Toyota founder Kiichiro Toyoda.