Kokuta demands a strict oversight of car recalls

Japan Press Weekly

Japan Press Service Co., Ltd. is the only news agency providing information of progressive, democratic movements in Japan

Kokuta demands a strict oversight of car recalls

Japanese Communist Party representative Kokuta Keiji on February 15 at a Lower House Budget Committee meeting took up the issue of Toyota recalls and demanded that the government strengthen its system to oversee automakers to ensure car safety.

Land and Transport Minister Maehara Seiji in reply expressed his intention to consider improving the government oversight system in regard to defective auto products.

Kokuta pointed out that although Toyota knew of the Prius brake problems, it tried to fix design errors by claiming to install an upgraded version without reporting the defect to the government. Exposed to severe public criticism, Toyota eventually recalled the product. Kokuta stated, “It is suspected that Totoya attempted to conceal the malfunction.”

He stressed the need to not leave it to makers’ own judgment and to establish tougher rules in the recall system under which authorities can issue administrative orders to manufacturers.

Kokuta also pointed out that in the Automobile Recall Technical Verification Department of the National Traffic Safety and Environment Laboratory, there is only one regular technical inspector to verify malfunctions of vehicles and that 15 other staff are all part timers. He demanded that the government improve this situation.

- Akahata, February 16, 2010