Tokyo: Japanese police are recommending criminal charges against a driver who says his Toyota Prius crashed because of brake failure after an analysis of "black box" data showed no defects.

The 37-year-old driver, whose identity is withheld because no charges have been filed, has told police he pressed on the brakes but they didn't work, causing the Prius to hit a car stopping for a red light.

Two people aboard that car were slightly injured in the July 19 accident, which resulted in two other cars getting bumped at an intersection in Matsudo city, northeast of Tokyo.

Data from an event recorder, or "black box," in the Prius, sent to a laboratory for analysis found the brakes were working properly, police said Friday.

The latest model Prius, the world's best-selling gas-electric hybrid, has been recalled in Japan and overseas because of a flaw in the antilock braking that made the brakes momentarily unresponsive under some driving conditions.

Toyota's quality control has come under scrutiny after recalls of more than 8 million vehicles in recent months, mostly in North America, for defective gas pedals, faulty floor mats and flawed braking.

Some drivers in the US have complained about Toyota vehicles, including the Prius, speeding up on their own. An Associated Press analysis of US government data found more than 100 reports of repaired cars continuing to accelerate on their own.

Consumer complaints about runaway Toyota models have been rising in Japan, especially for the Prius, according to government data.

The charge that Japanese police are recommending in the Prius accident is negligence in driving resulting in damage or injury. It carries a maximum punishment of up to seven years imprisonment or a fine up to 1 million yen ($11,000)

But prosecutors may decide against pressing charges because the injuries were not serious and the two injured people are not demanding charges, police said.

Transport Ministry official Kazumi Furukawa said the government has also conducted tests on the Prius in the Matsudo accident and found no braking problems.