Toyota Motor's Honorary Chairman Toyoda Shoichiro has died at the age of 97.

The first son of company founder Toyoda Kiichiro, he became president in 1982 and grew the company into one of the largest automakers in the world.

After becoming chairman in 1992, he focused his efforts on Japan's business community, running the country's main business lobby group, the Japan Business Federation, or Keidanren, for four years from 1994.

In 1999, he became an honorary chairman at the automaker, stepping back from the front lines of management, but continued to support his son Akio, who became the president.