Toyota recalls 490,000 vehicles in Japan, other regions over airbags

REUTERS: Toyota Motor Corp said on Tuesday it was recalling a total of about 490,000 vehicles in Japan, China, Europe and other regions over potentially faulty air bag inflators produced by Takata Corp, further widening a massive global recall.
The Japanese automaker said it was recalling around 45,000 vehicles from its Lexus line in Japan for passenger-side airbags produced between 2005 and 2011.
It added that it was recalling around 140,000 Lexus vehicles in China, along with 80,000 Lexus and Toyota vehicles in Europe and 120,000 vehicles from both brands in South America and other regions. Around 100,000 Toyota vehicles would be recalled in Mexico, the company said.
Automakers are ramping up global recalls of Takata air bag inflators after the auto parts maker, under pressure from the U.S. government, agreed last month to declare more of its airbags as defective in the United States.