Vehicle production and deliveries suspended after safety test scandal

Two of the five Japanese companies involved in the vehicle safety testing scandals have announced that they will stop production of the affected models.

Toyota plans to stop production of its Corolla Fielder and two other models in the Miyagi and Iwate prefectures starting Thursday. Toyota sold around 120,000 of these models in Japan last fiscal year.

Mazda will stop production of its RF roadster and another vehicle at plants in Hiroshima and Yamaguchi prefectures.

The two sold around 18,000 units in the year up to March.

Meanwhile, Yamaha was found to have conducted noise tests on three types of motorcycles under unsuitable conditions. The company has stopped deliveries of one model, the YZF-R1.

There is growing concern about the impact of these scandals on local economies and business partners.

In December last year, Toyota subsidiary Daihatsu Motor stopped production after a safety scandal came to light, leaving thousands of suppliers in the lurch.

This was one of the main reasons why Japan’s recent economic growth figures fell for the first time in two quarters.