Honda to recall 135,000 cars in Japan as Takata air bag fallout grows

[TOKYO] Honda Motor Co will soon recall 135,000 vehicles in Japan as recalls in the United States involving potentially defective air bags by Takata Corp expand, a Honda spokeswoman said on Friday.

The spokeswoman said she did not know when the recall will be announced.

Defective Takata air bag inflators, which can explode and shoot shrapnel into the car, have been linked to five deaths. More than 16 million cars have been recalled globally since 2008, the bulk by Takata's top customer Honda.

Several carmakers in the US have issued regional recalls of certain models to investigate what is causing some Takata air bags to explode with excessive force.

US safety regulators have ordered Takata to have those recalls expanded nationwide.

As a result, Honda will recall similar vehicles in Japan, the spokeswoman told Reuters.

REUTERS