Carmakers accused of failure to take steps to cut gas exhaust

Due to their greed for as much profit as possible through saving costs, automakers have long failed to take measures to reduce emissions from diesel vehicles, although they have known that effective technology to cut harmful emissions has been available for many years.

This was found in a survey conducted by the lawyers group for plaintiffs in air pollution lawsuits in Tokyo.

Akahata of June 15 reported that in 1981, seven major carmakers had the technology to reduce toxic substances in exhaust fumes emitted from diesel vehicles, but installed the technology only in 22 percent of diesel vehicles in 1998, 23 percent in 1994, and 50 percent in 1999.

Isuzu Motors, for instance, has equipped its vehicles for the United States with the most recent technology available since 1994 in order to pass stricter regulations on emissions there.

The Tokyo District Court last October also ruled that automobile manufacturers bear social responsibilities to produce and sell new-tech equipped cars.

A representative of the lawyers group said, "If they had adopted the low-emission technology earlier, the situation of air pollution would have been better." (end)