Mitsubishi Motors used non-compliant mileage data since 1990s – Nikkei

TOKYO (Reuters) – Mitsubishi Motors Corp used fuel economy testing methods which were not compliant with Japanese regulations since the 1990s, the Nikkei newspaper reported on Tuesday, helping send its share price sliding 9 percent.

Citing unnamed sources, the business daily said the testing methods may have been used on dozens of models.

Mitsubishi said last week it overstated the fuel economy of four domestic models, including two produced for Nissan Motor Co <7201.T>, and that it used testing methods which were not compliant with domestic regulations going back at least to 2002.

A Mitsubishi spokesman declined to comment on the report. The company plans to hold a briefing later in the day.

(Reporting by Naomi Tajitsu; Editing by Edwina Gibbs)