Toyota Motor Corp <7203.T> will start talks to pull out of a California-based joint venture with General Motors Corp, an executive at Toyota said on Thursday.

Toyota said earlier this month it may liquidate its stake in the Fremont, California auto plant -- commonly known by its acronym NUMMI for the New United Motor Manufacturing Inc -- after GM cut operating ties to the plant in late June.

(Reporting by Nobuhiro Kubo)