Funny -- my intuition of Japanese business etiquette, which is not always correct, suggests that the Chryster CEO if anything under-groveled with the $100,000 ad in the New York Times.

It is a large expenditure to show feelings. Japan is really big on that (as are most cultures, truth be known, but the forms are different).

If it were a Japanese CEO, I predict they would have taken a page out of the politicians' book: go to a busy train station, during the morning rush hour. Stand on a footstool. And shout the following for an hour:

"I am the president of Toyota! I promise you we will not waste your money! Thank you for giving us the chance to keep these jobs in Japan! With your help we will proceed together to a beautiful future! I am the president of Toyota!..."

There is a Japanese politician from the ruling party who is detailed to go to a large train or subway station, typically in Tokyo, and shout something like this. Every. Single. Workday. More than one when the government is hurting, for whatever reason. The point is not to draw a crowd -- most people are busy on their way to work and pass straight by. The point is not to draw a camera -- they could have thrown a press conference in a nice heated room with 15 handpicked reporters and been far less embarrassed about things. The point is to demonstrate that nothing I could possibly be doing this morning is more important than demonstrating my commitment to you. Even the Prime Minister is occasionally expected to put in an appearance.

Of course, the Toyota CEO won't have to do that groveling because he runs a business which makes money. But if he didn't, oh boy, there would be an appropriate level of bowing and scraping.