Toyota has recalled about 200,000 of its hybrid¹ Prius cars sold in Japan last year due to a brake problem.

遭遇刹车门，丰田计划召回去年日本境内出售的大约20万辆混合动力普锐斯轿车。

A Toyota official bowed after he handed over recall documents

It was unclear if the recall would be extended to Prius cars sold outside Japan.

The company filed papers at Japan's transport ministry² about the recall of the 2010 model on sale since May.

Company president Akio Toyoda, already dealing³ with damage to its reputation（声望，名声） in the wake of（随着……而来） other problems, is due to hold a news conference shortly.

The BBC's Roland Buerk in Tokyo says it is considered highly likely that the recall will be expanded to include Prius cars sold outside Japan, as the company will want to be seen to be acting⁴ quickly.

Prius was Japan's top-selling car in 2009 and the world's most popular hybrid model（混合模式） .

There have been complaints in Japan and the US that the brakes momentarily（暂时地，随时地） fail when driven on rough roads.

The brake problem was thought to affect about 270,000 Prius models that were sold in the US and Japan starting last May.

Toyota blames a software glitch⁵（小故障，失灵） and says it has already fixed⁶ vehicles sold this year.

Hybrid Sai, sold only in Japan, and Lexus HS250h, sold globally, would also be recalled, the company said on Tuesday.

The US Transportation Department said last week it was investigating the braking problems with Prius.

The US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration received 124 reports from drivers about it, including four of crashes.

There have been no reports of any such accidents in the UK, where 6,500 Prius have been sold.

The US investigation⁷ will look into allegations of momentary⁸ loss of braking power while travelling over uneven⁹（不平坦的，奇数的） road surfaces.

Toyota has already recalled about 8 million other vehicles with faulty accelerator pedals（油门踏板） or floor mats.

Before it announced the Prius recall in Japan, Toyota estimated that its losses would reach $2bn (£1.23bn) in costs and lost sales from its worldwide recall of vehicles that might have faulty accelerator pedals.

The Prius recall would send this figure even higher.