Japan's big four car makers issue over 100,000 recalls

Car makers Toyota, Honda, Nissan and Mitsubishi Motors will recall more than 100,000 vehicles in Japan due to defective air bags and seat belts, the transport ministry said Wednesday.

The recalls trace back to a single supplier, Tokyo-based parts maker Takata, local media reported. The company also supplies Audi, Daimler, Chrysler, Ford and General Motors.

Toyota Motor will recall 50,738 vehicles, Honda 24,522, and Nissan 35,964 built in 2000-2001 due to problems with the airbag inflator in the passenger seat that causes shards to fly out when the airbag opens, the ministry said.

The recalls affect vehicles built in 2000-2001 including Toyota's popular Corolla, Honda's Fit and Nissan's Cube.

Toyota, Nissan and Mitsubishi Motor also issued separate recalls due to faulty seat belts that fail to buckle up, the government said.

The recall affects cars built this year including 101 Toyotas, 4,020 Nissans and 1,600 Mitsubishi Motors, it added.

Japanese carmakers have been hit by a string of safety recalls this year, the most glaring being Toyota, which was forced to pull nearly 10 million vehicles worldwide and blamed for more than 80 deaths in the United States.

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