TOKYO, Oct. 2 (Xinhua) -- Japan's Nissan Motor Co. said on Monday that it will recall over 1.2 million vehicles in Japan which have undergone flawed safety inspections.
The automaker's CEO Hiroto Saikawa told a press conference that the recall is expected to cost the company some 25 billion yen (220 million U.S. dollars).
The company announced last week that it has suspended the registration of some 60,000 new cars because their safety inspections were conducted by uncertified personnel.
Some 21 models manufactured in six factories in Japan were involved in the malpractice, including the Note, Cube, CT-R, March, Skyline, and Leaf electric car among others.
The issue was first brought into light following an on-site inspection by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism on Sept. 18, said local reports.
It was found that Nissan had "assistant inspectors," instead of certified inspectors, do the safety check before the cars leave the factories.
The ministry has asked Nissan to redo the inspections and instructed other automakers to review their own operations.
Saikawa said the company has begun an internal probe into the cause of the malpractice which is expected to take a month.
Nissan shares ended 2.69 percent lower on Monday, the first trading day since the incident was reported by the media.
