Photo/Illutration Inspectors from the transport ministry enter Toyota Motor Corp.’s head office in Toyota, Aichi Prefecture, on June 4. (Tadashi Mizowaki)

TOYOTA, Aichi Prefecture—The transport ministry started an on-site inspection of Toyota Motor Corp.’s head office here on June 4 after the top automaker admitted to improper practices involving the government’s vehicle certification system.

Five inspectors entered the head office at around 9:30 a.m. that morning. 

The inspection followed the ministry's announcement the previous day that Toyota and four other companies were engaged in inappropriate acts over testing for obtaining “type approval,” certification required for volume production of new vehicles.

The inspectors planned to review test records and other documents and interview officials in charge of quality control issues, according to sources at the ministry and the automaker.

The ministry will decide whether the company’s practices warrant administrative punishment based on the inspection results, the sources said.

Inspections based on the Road Transport Vehicle Law are also scheduled for the four other companies: Mazda Motor Corp., Yamaha Motor Co., Honda Motor Co. and Suzuki Motor Corp.

In some cases, the companies used methods different from government standards for tests for obtaining type approval before starting mass production of new vehicles. 

In other cases, test vehicles were manipulated and test data was rewritten.

“Irregularities in applications for type approval are extremely regrettable as they undermine the confidence of car users and shake the very foundation of the automobile certification system,” transport minister Tetsuo Saito told a regular news conference on June 4.

The five companies discovered inappropriate acts during in-house investigations the ministry ordered following irregularities found at Daihatsu Motor Co. and Toyota Industries Corp.

The transport ministry on June 3 instructed Toyota, Mazda and Yamaha to suspend shipments of six affected vehicle models until the ministry confirms that they comply with required standards. The six models include a Yamaha motorcycle.

While 32 other vehicle models were also affected, their production has already been discontinued.

The companies said there are no safety issues with all affected vehicle models.

Other Cabinet ministers expressed concerns on June 4 about the effects of the fast-expanding scandal on the auto industry.

Finance Minister Shunichi Suzuki said, “The impact on the Japanese economy is very significant.”

Industry minister Ken Saito said, “We want to promptly investigate the effects of production suspension on parts suppliers and other parties and consider necessary countermeasures based on the results.”

(This article was written by Keitaro Maeshima and Eishi Kado.)

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