Toyota Motor Corp. and other automakers cut domestic recalls to their lowest level in five years as they stepped up efforts to improve quality.
Auto and motorcycle recalls for the business year ended Monday fell 39 percent to 4.27 million from 6.97 million the previous year, the Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Ministry said Thursday.
Toyota, which sells four out of every 10 vehicles in Japan, cut its recalls by 37 percent and Nissan Motor Co. slashed its recalls by 56 percent. The automakers strengthened quality control after recalls surged in the prior three years.
Last business year's recalls were the fewest since the year that ended March 2004. It includes recalls by importers such as Volkswagen AG and Daimler AG.