OYAMAZAKI (Kyoto Pref.): Daihatsu Motor Co. resumed production of two commercial vehicle models at its Kyoto plant in western Japan on Monday.

This marked the first resumption of Daihatsu’s domestic vehicle production, which had been halted entirely for nearly two months due to its fraudulent vehicle tests.

Daihatsu, a subsidiary of Toyota Motor Corp., hopes to restart production gradually for models whose safety has been confirmed by the transport ministry.

However, it is uncertain when the company’s domestic vehicle production will be resumed entirely because the ministry’s safety verification work is going on.

Arriving at the Kyoto plant in Oyamazaki, Kyoto Prefecture, on Monday morning, a 44-year-old manufacturing department employee said, “I’m a bit uneasy, but I want to make better products than before.”

“We’ll correct what was bad,” an inspection department employee, 57, said. “With a new feeling, I will do my best from the beginning again.”

The Kyoto plant resumed its production of the Probox, supplied to Toyota, and the Familia Van, supplied to Mazda Motor Corp.

The transport ministry lifted its order to suspend the shipments of the two models Jan. 19 after confirming their safety.

Their production in fiscal 2022 totaled about 57,000 units, accounting for about 6 pct of Daihatsu’s domestic vehicle production.

Daihatsu also plans to resume production of 10 other models, including the Mira e:S, at its Oita plant in Nakatsu, Oita Prefecture, southwestern Japan, on Feb. 26 after the ministry removed its shipment suspension order for them Jan. 30.

Daihatsu last week reported to the ministry measures to prevent any recurrence of fraudulent testing, such as extending vehicle development periods and increasing staff involved in product tests. The company also plans to renew its management team soon in order to regain the trust of the public.

Due to the testing fraud, Daihatsu stopped the operations of all of its four domestic vehicle plants in late December last year.

JIJI Press