Toyota Motor Corp. said Tuesday it will recall about 437,000 vehicles worldwide to repair brake problems in its best-selling Prius and three other hybrid models, in a blow to the automaker's brand strength as a pioneer in green technology.

     Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama on Tuesday urged Toyota Motor Corp. to ensure the safety of its vehicles for its customers worldwide after the carmaker filed with the Japanese government the latest in a series of massive recalls, while Japan's transport minister said he will discuss the issue with the U.S. ambassador to Japan on Wednesday.

     A government committee exploring possible alternatives for the relocation of the U.S. Marine Corps' Futemma Air Station in Okinawa decided Tuesday that the two junior coalition partners in the Democratic Party of Japan-led government will present their relocation proposals on Feb. 17.