Japan’s automotive industry relaxes parts quality inspection standards due to raw material import disruptions: components with defects such as black spots and scratches can still be installed in vehicles.

Recently, according to reports from Japanese media, due to the impact of tensions in the Middle East affecting key chemical raw material imports, and in order to reduce production waste losses and ensure the stability of the parts supply chain, several Japanese car manufacturers, including Toyota, will implement a unified standard for determining defective parts. This standard, developed jointly by the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association and the Japan Auto Parts Industries Association, clarifies unified criteria for identifying parts as defective. Previously, even if parts only had minor defects such as black spots or slight scratches that did not affect the vehicle's performance, most parts suppliers would directly scrap them. According to the official website of the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association, the eight major Japanese passenger car companies, including Toyota, Honda, Nissan, Mitsubishi, and Mazda, are all members of the association.