After a broad data fabrication controversy, Nikkei Asia reported on Sunday that Toyota Motor Corp's truck and bus division Hino Motors would cease manufacturing specific medium- and heavy-duty trucks for at least another year.

According to the article, the Ranger and Profia trucks will not be manufactured until August 2023.

Hino's decision to halt manufacturing some truck models is the latest indication of the scandal's escalation. The company reported in March that some of its larger vehicles were affected by data manipulation.

Since then, it has admitted to falsifying statistics on specific engines as far back as 2003, at least a decade earlier than what was initially stated. About 640,000 automobiles have been affected, which is more than five times the initial estimate.

Hino announced last month that it would halt shipments of small trucks after an audit by the transport ministry discovered that around 76,000 of its small trucks supplied since 2019 had not undergone the required number of engine tests.

Since then, Toyota and others involved in a commercial vehicle collaboration have ousted Hino from the group for falsifying engine statistics.

The escalating engine data fabrication issue at Japan's Hino Motors has become a concern for parent company Toyota, which has a 50.1% interest in Hino.

Since Hino became a subsidiary of Toyota in 2001, nearly all its presidents have previously worked for Toyota.

Toyota did not react quickly to a request for comment, while Hino could not be reached immediately.