Transport minister Keiichi Ishii summoned Suzuki Motor Corp.'s top executives Friday and ordered them to take measures to prevent noncompliant mileage tests from recurring.
Suzuki's conduct planted "significant distrust among users and hurt trust in the auto industry," the minister told Suzuki Chairman Osamu Suzuki and President Toshihiro Suzuki during their meeting. Suzuki apologized for the violation.
As a result, Ishii told them the ministry plans to conduct stricter screening when automakers seek approval to sell new vehicles.
According to the automaker, the fuel-efficiency data for all vehicle models have been confirmed to be equivalent to the fuel-efficiency figures as measured later using proper testing methods. But the ministry plans to conduct its own tests to check the validity of Suzuki's data.
The company said in a report submitted to the ministry on May 31 that it had been using noncompliant testing methods to get mileage data on its vehicles since 2010.
Osamu Suzuki will vacate the post of chief executive officer to shoulder the blame for the scandal but remain chairman.