NAGOYA: Toyota Motor Corp. said Thursday it resumed production of three car models involved in its certification test fraud, including the Yaris Cross, following a suspension of about three months.

Japan’s top automaker suspended the production in June, after the country’s transport ministry ordered the company to halt shipments in the wake of the scandal.

The ministry lifted the order at the end of July, and Toyota initially planned to resume the production Monday. But the firm delayed the restart due to the impact of Typhoon Shanshan.

Of the three models, the Yaris Cross is made at the Miyagi Ohira plant in the village of Ohira in Miyagi Prefecture, northeastern Japan, and at the Iwate plant in the town of Kanegasaki in neighboring Iwate Prefecture. The Corolla Fielder and the Corolla Axio are manufactured at the Miyagi Ohira plant.

During the production suspension, the plants made other models.

On June 3, Toyota said in an interim report on its internal investigation that it had found improper testing for seven models including the three. It said on July 5 that no additional irregularities had been confirmed.

But fraudulent tests involving another seven models were unveiled through investigations by the ministry later, and Toyota was ordered to take action to prevent any recurrence.

Toyota then announced steps such as setting up a new post of internal examiner, who attends vehicle certification tests, and has since been preparing to resume production.

JIJI Press