TOKYO For Japan's greatest automaker, the 2020 Tokyo Summer time Olympics has been a five-year, about $1 billion wager on showcasing the corporate and its know-how to the world.

However hypothesis is mounting right here that the video games might be postponed, and even canceled, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. If that's the case, Toyota Motor Corp. could be out a bundle.

For starters, Toyota spent a reported $835 million in 2015 to signal on as a prime sponsor of the video games by way of 2024.

Since then, it has put untold thousands and thousands into creating a fleet of electrified, new-mobility automobiles to roll out for the occasion from hydrogen gasoline cell buses to automated athlete shuttles and a forged of robots to assist at occasions. A self-driving Toyota pod automotive is meant to escort the torch relay.

Toyota additionally created a classy worldwide advertising marketing campaign known as "Begin Your Not possible" that revolves across the Olympics and the thought of delivering new modes of mobility to all individuals. It even spent years creating a brand new, extra...