From the Kyodo News
TOKYO — Japanese automakers used three types of asbestos-containing components in a total of 1.64 million vehicles produced between 1996 and November this year, but there is no risk that the material could be discharged from the vehicles, the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association (JAMA) said yesterday.
The components — gaskets, packing and resin materials — should cause no health problems, and the automakers involved will not recall the vehicles in question to replace the parts, the association said.
Suzuki Motor Corp. accounted for 1.01 million of the affected vehicles, Nissan Motor Co. 177,000, Hino Motors Ltd. 159,000 and Toyota Motor Corp. 27,000.
The five other automakers involved are Isuzu Motors Ltd., Nissan Diesel Motor Co., Mitsubishi Motors Corp., Mitsubishi Fuso Truck & Bus Corp. and Yamaha Motor Co.
The association said in October 1996 that member automakers had completely ended the use of asbestos-containing components.
In October this year, Nissan Motor was found to have used such components in auto production between 1995 and 1999, and the association subsequently asked its 14 member automakers to reopen their in-house investigation.
Toyota, Hino and Mitsubishi Fuso found they had continued to use the components in some of their vehicles until October or November this year.
The components in question were manufactured by domestic suppliers and the latest reports by automakers did not cover imports.
The JAMA said each automaker should decide what to do with imported parts.
2005 Kyodo News (C) Established 1945
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