Toyota Motor Corp. and Mazda Motor Corp. on Thursday paused production of a total of five vehicle models after the transport ministry said their certifications had been obtained improperly, affecting more than a thousand suppliers.
The move comes after the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Tourism ordered shipments of Toyota's Corolla Fielder, Corolla Axio and Yaris Cross, as well as Mazda's Roadster RF and Mazda2 to be halted, saying their vehicle certification tests were carried out in ways that did not comply with government specifications.
Toyota said the production halt will last at least until the end of this month, while Mazda said it is unsure when its factories will resume operating.
The pause will affect about 200 suppliers who directly provide parts to Toyota, but the figure tops 1,000 when including subcontractors, the carmaker said.
Mazda said it buys parts directly from about 300 suppliers. The two automakers said they are considering compensating businesses for the losses they will incur.
In the last fiscal year ended March, the aggregate production volume of the three Toyota models stood at about 130,000 vehicles, while the two Mazda models totaled around 15,000 units, the companies said.
The two companies, as well as Honda Motor Co., Suzuki Motor Corp. and motorbike maker Yamaha Motor Co., earlier this week admitted to cheating on vehicle tests to obtain mass production certification, sparking widespread doubts over their products' reliability.
The ministry visited Suzuki's headquarters in Shizuoka Prefecture for an inspection on Thursday to determine if it should impose any administrative penalty on the company and whether recalls are needed.
Suzuki is the third company to have been inspected by the ministry after Toyota and Yamaha Motor.
The transport ministry is expected to inspect the remaining two companies soon.
Related coverage:
Japan gov't inspects Yamaha Motor HQ over improper vehicle tests
Toyota HQ inspected over improper vehicle quality certification
Toyota admits to improper vehicle testing as quality scandal widens
