Toyota Motor's Honorary Chairman Toyoda Shoichiro died on Tuesday due to heart failure. He was 97.

Toyoda, the first son of the company's founder Toyoda Kiichiro, joined the automaker in 1952.

Toyoda became president of Toyota Motor Corporation in 1982, and built manufacturing plants in the US state of Kentucky, Canada and Britain. He grew the company into one of the largest automakers in the world.

After becoming chairman in 1992, Toyoda focused his efforts on Japan's business community. He served as chairman of its biggest business lobby, the Japan Business Federation, or Keidanren, for four years from 1994.

In 1999, Toyoda became an honorary chairman, and stepped back from the front lines of management. He continued to support his son Akio, who became president in 2009.

The company plans to hold a memorial ceremony at a later date.