TOKYO (AP) — Toyota's top executive has delayed a visit to the US until early March due to heavy snowfall in Washington, a news report said yesterday, amid a call by a lawmaker that he testify before Congress this month about the automaker's safety lapses.

Akio Toyoda, Toyota's president and also grandson of the company's founder, has apologised for a series of massive recalls of top-selling models over quality defects and safety concerns.

Toyoda said on Tuesday he planned to visit the US soon to meet Toyota workers and dealers there. He spoke shortly after the world's largest automaker announced it was recalling 437,000 Prius and other hybrids over brake problems.

That brought the total number of vehicles recalled by Toyota since November to 8.5 million. Other recalls were for floor mats that can entangle the gas pedal and gas pedals that can stick, causing sudden acceleration. Toyota's handling of the recalls has led to a storm of criticism that has dented the automaker's reputation for quality.

Japan's Kyodo News agency said yesterday that Toyoda will visit Washington in early March and is likely to meet with Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood and other government officials. The report, attributed to company sources, said the trip had been postponed from this week because of heavy snow in Washington and is likely to focus on Toyota's handling of recent safety issues. Toyota officials could not immediately be reached yesterday for comment on the report. Businesses were closed in Japan for a national holiday.

The House Oversight and Government Reform Committee will hold a hearing into Toyota's recalls on February 24.