Reform plans for Japan's car recall

22 February 2010
Reports of reform for Japan's car recall system have emerged after Toyota recalled more than eight million vehicles worldwide

Japan's car recall system could be set for reform, it has been reported.

The claims that the transport ministry may make changes to the system came as Toyota was accused of issuing delayed responses to drivers' complaints.

The reports followed several weeks of crisis for Toyota during which the car maker recalled more than eight million vehicles worldwide.

Transport minister Seiji Maehara told Japanese MPs that he wanted to improve his agency's recall system to aim for better responses to consumer interests, according to the Kyodo News agency.

Among the reported changes were plans to demand faster action from manufacturers to fix defects and a move to extend the problems which are subject to reporting requirements. Unnamed ministry officials were cited in the reports. Mr Maehara told a lower house committee: "We will consider reviewing the recall system to make it more familiar to users."

Meanwhile, Toyota's president Akio Toyoda is preparing to appear before the US House of Representatives Oversight and Government Reform Committee after he was formally invited to testify.

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