Police referred Takata Corp. and Nissan Motor Co. safety management officials to prosecutors on Friday on suspicion of professional negligence, in relation to a ruptured Takata air bag inflator that caused an injury in a 2015 car accident involving a Nissan vehicle.

Shizuoka police suspect the Takata employee did not notify Nissan that the air bag inflator may rupture, while the Nissan official allegedly failed to instruct Nissan dealers to disable the recalled air bag.

It is the first time in Japan that a Takata or carmaker employee has been referred to prosecutors over a case involving a defective air bag, according to the prefectural police. Both of the officials involved are male and in their 50s.