Japanese authorities visit Toyota's main office regarding a controversy surrounding safety certifications.
Inspections at Toyota's central Japan headquarters will carry on for a few more days, as announced by Japan's Transport Ministry. This follows rising concerns about the certification of certain vehicles produced by the largest car retailer globally.
The ministry disclosed that five automobile manufacturers - Toyota, Mazda, Honda, Suzuki, and Yamaha - submitted falsified or manipulated safety testing data when applying for approval of their vehicles.
Toyota, Mazda, and Yamaha have been instructed to discontinue shipments of specific model vehicles, like the Corolla Fielder and Corolla Axio. The ministry advised all five companies to revise their safety testing procedures.
In a statement published on Monday, Toyota revealed that it had uncovered discrepancies in safety testing methods for seven of its car models, some of which had already been discontinued. The company discovered flaws in "pedestrian and occupant protection tests" and "errors in crash tests." This probe remains underway.
Toyota underscored that it had not breached safety regulations and informed consumers that there was no need to stop using their vehicles.
Koji Endo, an analyst from SBI Securities, indicated that Japanese certification tests are very stringent and more demanding than in other nations.
"Japan's certification tests are very stringent and much stricter than in other countries," said Endo. "It's true that many automakers find it difficult to follow these rigorous standards."
"However, we should remember that Toyota has carried out over a million tests in the last 15 years, and the issues pertain to just a couple of them," he added.
While emphasizing the gravity of the issue due to Toyota's global prominence, Endo stressed that the company was taking the necessary measures to rectify the situation.
During a press conference on Monday, Akio Toyoda, the grandson of Toyota's founder and the company's current chairman, addressed the issue. "I will work to solidify our corporate culture and continue producing safer cars," he promised.
Toyota's factory operations will continue as usual throughout the ongoing investigation. But, the production of the three car models being examined will be halted, as per the Transport Ministry's updates.
The ministry also hinted at inspecting the facilities of the other four manufacturers but did not provide a timeline for these visits.
Last January, Toyota made the announcement that it would stop delivering some models due to inconsistencies in diesel engine testing done by its associated company, Toyota Industries.
This revelation came within a month of Daihatsu, a Japanese small car manufacturer owned by Toyota, shutting down its production after acknowledging they had been falsifying the results of safety tests for more than 30 years.
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The controversy surrounding safety certifications also impacted Toyota's business operations, as the company was required to discontinue the shipment of certain car models. Due to these issues, the Japanese automobile industry's focus has shifted towards revising safety testing procedures to ensure compliance and maintain consumer trust in car brands.
