• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

As Big Tech showers employees with perks to win the talent war, Nvidia built a nearly $5 trillion company by making people pay for their own lunch

2

MacKenzie Scott alone accounted for one-third of America's $19.2 billion in megagifts last year

3

Current price of oil as of July 1, 2026

1

As Big Tech showers employees with perks to win the talent war, Nvidia built a nearly $5 trillion company by making people pay for their own lunch

2

MacKenzie Scott alone accounted for one-third of America's $19.2 billion in megagifts last year

3

Current price of oil as of July 1, 2026
LeadershipToyota
Asia

Toyota, the world’s largest automaker by vehicles sold, takes a hit as it recalls over a million cars and a subsidiary reveals faked data stretching back to 1989

By
Lionel Lim
Lionel Lim
Asia Reporter
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Lionel Lim
Lionel Lim
Asia Reporter
Down Arrow Button Icon
December 21, 2023, 3:20 AM ET
Daihatsu Motor's President Soichiro Okudaira (left) and Toyota's Executive Vice President Hiroki Nakajima bow as they apologize at a press conference in Tokyo on Dec. 20, 2023 regarding Daihatsu's testing and certification fraud.
Daihatsu Motor's President Soichiro Okudaira (left) and Toyota's Executive Vice President Hiroki Nakajima bow as they apologize at a press conference in Tokyo on Dec. 20, 2023 regarding Daihatsu's testing and certification fraud.STR via Getty Images
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Toyota did not have a good Wednesday. The carmaker first halted all worldwide shipments from Daihatsu, one of its subsidiaries, over an investigation related to safety. The company also had to recall 1 million vehicles in the U.S. due to problems with its cars’ airbags.

Recommended Video

Daihatsu admitted in April that it rigged side-collision safety tests for vehicles mostly sent to Toyota. That revelation led to an independent third-party investigation, which uncovered 174 safety irregularities in 64 models, including those delivered to Toyota, Mazda and Subaru. On Wednesday, Daihatsu halted sales of all Dahaitsu-developed models currently in production, both in Japan and globally.

The report found irregularities reaching as far back as 1989, yet noted an increase in the number of problems from 2014 onwards. Problems included falsified test results and manipulated data, which the report blamed on “tight and rigid development schedules.”

On Thursday, Japan’s transport ministry raided Daihatsu’s headquarters in Osaka, after the company confirmed to the ministry that it had uncovered falsified data.

Daihatsu’s history can be traced back to the early 1900s. The company started producing cars for other brands in 1969, when it started manufacturing vehicles for Toyota. It has since expanded to producing cars for other companies like Subaru, and generally sells smaller vehicles for the Japanese market, as well as markets in Southeast Asia and Latin America.

In a statement released Wednesday, Toyota said that it had increased the number of OEM vehicles sourced from manufacturers like Daihatsu, and admitted that may have put pressure on its subsidiary. Toyota said it was “not aware of the situation with the company’s certification operations.” The Japanese automaker promised to revitalize Daihatsu, yet warned the process would take time.

Toyota is the world’s top automaker by vehicles sold, selling 10.5 million vehicles in 2022, far ahead of the 8.3 million sold by the Volkswagen Group. Daihatsu and Hino Motors, another Toyota subsidiary, manufactured 909,000 vehicles sold by Toyota.

Hino has also gotten into trouble. Last year, the subsidiary, which make trucks and buses, admitted to falsifying emissions data on some engines dating back to 2003. That scandal affected more than 640,000 vehicles and also led to a halt in production.

Faulty airbags

Also on Wednesday, Toyota announced a recall of 1 million cars in the U.S., covering Toyota and Lexus models from 2020 to 2022. According to Toyota’s statement, sensors in the front passenger seat may not be able to properly assess a passenger’s weight, resulting in the airbag not deploying as designed in some circumstances.

Toyota will inform affected customers by February, the company said.

This isn’t Toyota’s first problem with airbags. In 2014, Toyota joined several other automakers in issuing a worldwide recall of millions of cars due to problems with airbags manufactured by Takata. One report estimated that carmakers had recalled 42 million cars in the U.S. alone by the end of 2022. The airbags, which sometimes exploded with enough force to send shrapnel into passenger compartments, are linked to over 30 deaths and hundreds of injuries worldwide. Companies are still recalling cars today.

Then, in January 2020, Toyota recalled 3.4 million vehicles globally, due to an electronic fault that prevented airbags from deploying.

Toyota shares fell 4% in Tokyo trading on Thursday, following news of the recall and Daihatsu’s falsified data.

About the Author
By Lionel LimAsia Reporter
LinkedIn icon

Lionel Lim is a Singapore-based reporter covering the Asia-Pacific region.

See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Latest in Leadership

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Leadership

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent
EconomyDebt
AI’s $2.2 trillion deficit fix is already half fake, economists say
By Tristan BoveJuly 2, 2026
5 hours ago
Mark Zuckerberg, wearing a white shirt, smiles. He is standing in front of a crowd.
SuccessMark Zuckerberg
Mark Zuckerberg feeds his cows macadamia nuts and beer to create the ‘highest-quality beef in the world’ on his $300 million estate in Hawaii
By Sasha RogelbergJuly 2, 2026
7 hours ago
Chris Hulatt co-founder of Octopus Group
SuccessHow I made my first million
A 2-year taste of the office was enough to make 3 grads quit. Now they run a $13.2 billion investment firm: ‘We didn’t want a traditional job again’
By Orianna Rosa RoyleJuly 2, 2026
8 hours ago
Woman taking photo in scenic landscape
Successlifestyle
Americans are escaping the U.S. for New Zealand where house prices have hit a new low—but only wealthy Americans with $3 million spare can invest
By Emma BurleighJuly 2, 2026
9 hours ago
Jason Lemkin
Successwork-life balance
This investor won’t back startups unless staff are in the office 6 days a week: ‘Not because I don’t have empathy, because they’re going to fail’
By Preston ForeJuly 2, 2026
9 hours ago
The true cost of Donald Trump’s $2.2 billion year
NewslettersCEO Daily
The true cost of Donald Trump’s $2.2 billion year
By Diane BradyJuly 2, 2026
14 hours ago

Most Popular

As Big Tech showers employees with perks to win the talent war, Nvidia built a nearly $5 trillion company by making people pay for their own lunch
Big Tech
As Big Tech showers employees with perks to win the talent war, Nvidia built a nearly $5 trillion company by making people pay for their own lunch
By Marco Quiroz-GutierrezJuly 1, 2026
2 days ago
MacKenzie Scott alone accounted for one-third of America's $19.2 billion in megagifts last year
Success
MacKenzie Scott alone accounted for one-third of America's $19.2 billion in megagifts last year
By Sydney LakeJune 25, 2026
8 days ago
Current price of oil as of July 1, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of oil as of July 1, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerJuly 1, 2026
1 day ago
Today, Emily Blunt is worth $80 million thanks to her Hollywood career—but she actually wanted to be a UN Spanish translator on $80K
Success
Today, Emily Blunt is worth $80 million thanks to her Hollywood career—but she actually wanted to be a UN Spanish translator on $80K
By Orianna Rosa RoyleJuly 2, 2026
17 hours ago
Trump got a $78K pension from the Screen Actors Guild in 2025 because he appeared in Home Alone 2 in 1992
Politics
Trump got a $78K pension from the Screen Actors Guild in 2025 because he appeared in Home Alone 2 in 1992
By Sasha RogelbergJuly 1, 2026
1 day ago
Philanthropy leader at Warren Buffett and Bill Gates’ Giving Pledge says children of billionaires are pushing them to give their wealth away faster
Success
Philanthropy leader at Warren Buffett and Bill Gates’ Giving Pledge says children of billionaires are pushing them to give their wealth away faster
By Preston ForeJune 27, 2026
6 days ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.