Toyota Motor Corp. and Honda Motor Co. said Friday their fuel-cell cars have become the first to receive motor-vehicle type certification from the government.

The type certification means the cars meet the new safety and environmental standards issued by the Land, Infrastructure and Transport Ministry for vehicles powered by pressurized hydrogen and can be sold without vehicle-by-vehicle certification.

Toyota said its FCHV fuel-cell hybrid car will be ready for lease to the central and local governments as well as energy-related companies in July.

The firm said it has already leased 11 units in Japan and five in the United States and provided eight fuel-cell hybrid buses to the 2005 World Exposition in Aichi Prefecture.

Honda said it has delivered 19 FCX fuel-cell vehicles in Japan and the United States since December 2002.

The FCX is the only fuel-cell car to be certified by both the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the California Air Resources Board.

EAMA delays decision

NAGOYA (Kyodo) Europe's largest auto industry body has notified Toyota Motor Corp. that it will not make a decision this year on its membership application, company officials said.

The European Automobile Manufacturers Association told Japan's largest automaker that it will reach a conclusion on the issue in 2006 or later, the officials said.

Toyota asked to join the Brussels-based EAMA in mid-January, seeking to become the first Japanese automaker to become a member of the association, which represents 13 European automakers and the European arms of General Motors Corp. and Ford Motor Co. of the United States.

The carmaker made the application through Toyota Motor Europe, which is also based in Brussels.

Although it is reserving its decision on membership, the EAMA has been seeking to strengthen cooperation with Toyota, the officials said.

Toyota had a 5 percent market share in Europe in 2004 in terms of vehicle sales.