A local labor standards inspection office has ordered Toyota Motor Corp. to pay unpaid overtime allowances to some of its employees by the end of February, sources familiar with the case said Saturday.

The Toyota Labor Standards Inspection Office in Aichi Prefecture, home of Toyota's head office, issued the order last month under the Labor Standard Law, the sources said.

Toyota officials said the company plans to pay the unpaid wages to the employees involved. They belong to the firm's technology division.

The order is the second time in recent years that Toyota has been told to act by labor authorities.

In 2000, Toyota paid about 10 million yen to 83 employees in its domestic sales and other divisions for carrying out overtime work without extra remuneration.

According to the sources, labor inspectors uncovered the latest case when they examined work records for Toyota employees during a recent inspection.

A Toyota spokesman said the company "feels very sorry" for receiving the order and will do its best to prevent similar incidents from happening again.