Struggling to keep its reputation for quality from being tarnished further, Toyota Motor Corp. on Feb. 9 issued a recall of 223,068 of its hybrid cars in Japan, including the latest Prius model, to fix a brake system problem.

The four models under recall are the new Prius, the luxury Lexus HS250h, the Sai compact sedan and the plug-in Prius hybrid, which all employ a similar brake system.

"We will do everything in our power to regain the confidence of our customers," Toyota President Akio Toyoda said at a news conference in Tokyo. "We have decided to recall, as we regard safety for our customers as our foremost priority."

Toyoda said the company will soon begin recalling hybrids in the United States, Europe and elsewhere, with the number expected to reach around 400,000 units.