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TOKYO, Feb 13, 2024 (BSS/AFP) - Japanese auto giant Toyota named a new head of its Daihatsu subsidiary on Tuesday after an embarrassing scandal over faked safety tests dating back decades.

The major producer of popular "kei" minicars admitted in December to manipulating tests since at least 1989, affecting 64 models including some sold under the Toyota brand.

Masahiro Inoue, who currently heads Toyota's Latin America and Caribbean region, will take over as Daihatsu president on March 1, Toyota announced.

Current president Soichiro Okudaira will step down while the position of chairman will be scrapped, the firm added.

"Daihatsu will change its management structure to steadily implement measures to prevent similar problems from happening and promote the building of foundations for the future," Toyota president Koji Sato told a press conference.

The firm added that it believed the "root of the certification irregularities was that Daihatsu placed a burden on its workplaces that exceeded their capacities".

Following December's announcement, Daihatsu suspended all factory operations, some of which have since restarted.