Toyota Chief Back in the Blogger's Seat

Toyota's CEO has apologized to car owners. He has said sorry to U.S. lawmakers. He has even appeared on David Letterman (in the form of an impersonator).

Now, the New York Times reports, Akio Toyoda is apologizing yet again - to his blog followers.

After a two-month absence, Toyoda reemerged in the blogosphere in a post called "Together with our customers and car fans." The automaker's president goes by the name "Morizo" on Toyota's Gazoo e-commerce and networking site in Japan, the newspaper notes.

In the blog, Toyoda offered yet another mea culpa for his company's recall involving 8.5 million vehicles.

"Good evening everyone, this is Morizo. I'm deeply sorry to have caused inconvenience and concern to so many of our customers, to so many of you," the post said.

The newspaper reports that Toyoda used to blog frequently until the recall crisis sent the automaker in a PR tail spin. He said he continued to follow the comments on his blog while he was on hiatus, the newspaper reports.

"I read each and every one," he said.

Toyoda also announced that he would be bowing out of this year's Nürburgring 24-hour endurance race in Germany, the Times reported. (Team Toyota finished 87th last year).

"Yesterday Morizo also test-drove Toyota's car and worked up a good sweat," the post said. "Unfortunately, Morizo won't participate in this year's 24-hour race."

After the blog was posted, Yoshi Inaba, president and chief operating officer of Toyota North America, who appeared before the U.S. hearings with Toyoda, extended an apology to Canadians over the matter.

"The message Mr. Toyoda wanted to deliver was not only to American drivers. His apology goes everywhere," Inaba said, referring to the apology Toyoda issued in his "Morizo" blog.