At the time when Japan¡¯s auto industry is at a critical juncture, it¡¯s taking an off-road the nation doesn¡¯t have time for.
The country¡¯s carmakers have had their reputations dragged through the mud this week, with Toyota Motor and other firms announcing, following internal investigations sparked by after a similar brouhaha at Daihatsu Motor last year, that they had falsified parts of safety¡ª certification tests.
In a surprise move, transport ministry officials raided their offices, a step usually reserved for more serious wrongdoing. The news reaction was predictable: Many foreign media outlets invoked the phrase ¡°safety scandal,¡± while others termed it ¡°massive cheating.¡± The domestic press was, if anything, harsher: ¡°Toyota testing scandal leaves another stain on Japan auto industry,¡± said one outlet; another termed it ¡°an unusual and shameful day in Japanese auto history.¡±
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