Japanese Transport Ministry Orders Probe Of Diesel Car Emissions

Following the ‘Dieselgate’ scandal where the Volkswagen Group admitted to rigging some cars with engineered software that is capable of engaging full emissions controls during testing, Japan’s transport ministry has ordered carmakers to inspect whether their diesel vehicles meet the country’s emissions standards.

Several carmakers including Toyota, Mazda, Nissan, and Volkswagen, all of which sell diesel cars in Japan, have been asked to probe into this issue and submit reports by the end of this week, Transport Minister Akihiro Ohta told reporters. Ohta added that the Japanese government is considering the adoption of a new method to test diesel engines although no details were given.

Other countries, now including Japan, which are investigating carmakers over the compliance of their diesel engines include South Korea, France, and the United Kingdom.

Bloomberg reports that Volkswagen, Japan’s best-selling foreign brand last year, is working closely with authorities on the matter, while monitoring the impact of the situation on its brand image and sales. Volkswagen diesel cars sold in Japan are not sold by official dealer networks, but are imported by individual buyers.

Mazda, which sells the most diesel cars in Japan, recently issued a statement that says every petrol and diesel engine it produces is in full compliance with the regulations of the countries where its vehicles are sold, and the carmaker has never used illegal software of defeat devices.