Japan's transport ministry inspected the headquarters of Honda Motor Co. in Tokyo on Monday after the company and other automakers admitted to carrying out improper tests for vehicle certifications required for mass production.
The ministry inspected Toyota Motor Corp., Yamaha Motor Co. and Suzuki Motor Corp. last week and will commence a probe into Mazda Motor Corp. soon after the automakers said safety tests were not conducted in line with government specifications.
After the inspections, the ministry will decide whether to impose administrative punishments to prevent a recurrence and determine if recalls are required by examining whether the affected vehicles meet its safety and environmental performance standards, officials said.
Honda said vehicle tests for 22 models were improperly conducted, including the reporting of falsified data. None of its current models are affected, it said.
A total of 38 models manufactured by the five automakers are affected. Six of the affected models produced by Toyota, Mazda and Yamaha Motor are currently on the market and the ministry has ordered shipments to be halted, it said.
The latest misconduct was unveiled after the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism instructed 85 automakers and parts suppliers to investigate whether certifications were acquired properly, following a series of similar scandals that hit Toyota group firms in 2022 and later.
