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TOKYO (CBS News) ― Toyota says it is recalling about 437,000 Prius and other hybrid vehicles worldwide to fix brake problems the latest in a string of embarrassing safety lapses at the world's largest automaker.

"I apologize for causing trouble and worries for many customers over the quality and safety of Toyota," President Akio Toyoda said at a press conference Tuesday in Tokyo.

"We sincerely acknowledge safety concerns from our customers," he said. "We have decided to recall as we regard safety for our customers as our foremost priority."

The recall is the latest blow to Toyota Motor Corp., which is in the midst of recalling more than 7 million vehicles worldwide because of problems with floor mats, which can trap gas pedals, and faulty gas pedals that are slow to return to the idle position. The Prius wasn't part of those recalls.

MORE

• NHTSA Press Release On Accelerator Pedal Problem 
• List Of Toyota Recalls, Affected Vehicles
• Cars Listed On Pedal Entrapment Recall 
• Toyota USA Newsroom: Toyota Announces Voluntary Recall on 2010 Model-Year Prius and 2010 Lexus HS 250h Vehicles to Update ABS Software

There have been nearly 200 complaints in Japan and the U.S. of drivers experiencing a short delay before the brakes kick in. The delay doesn't indicate a brake failure.

A fix requires new software that oversees the controls of the antilock brakes, the papers say.

Toyota had earlier said a fix was already in cars in production starting late last month, but it was unclear if the recall includes those cars as well.

The two other hybrids being recalled are the Lexus HS250h sedan, sold in the U.S. and Japan, and the Sai, which is sold only in Japan. The new software for those models is still being worked out, Toyota said.

"We have decided to do a recall," said Hiroyuki Yokoyama, a Toyota manager, as he handed papers for the Japan recall to a government official. "We will do our best to regain customers' trust."

Toyota's plug-in hybrid is also being recalled in Japan - a largely experimental model for rental and government use, with 159 sold.

U.S. safety officials have launched an investigation into problems with the brakes.

The problem is suspected in four crashes resulting in two minor injuries, according to data gathered by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, which is investigating the matter. Toyota says it's cooperating with NHTSA's investigation.

Toyota is in the midst of recalling more than 7 million vehicles worldwide because of problems with floor mats, which can trap gas pedals, and faulty gas pedals that are slow to return to the idle position. The 2010 Prius wasn't part of either recall.

Problems with hybrid braking systems haven't been limited to Toyota. Ford Motor Co. said last week it plans to fix 17,600 Mercury Milan and Ford Fusion gas-electric hybrids because of a software problem that can give drivers the impression that the brakes have failed. The automaker says the problem occurs in transition between two braking systems and at no time are drivers without brakes.

The Prius is Toyota's top-selling model in Japan, but not in the U.S., where the company sold 140,000 last year, far less than the 357,000 Camrys. But it holds a cherished spot in its lineup and is symbolic of Toyota's leadership in the "green" car market.

Toyota was one of the first companies to mass-market a hybrid that combines an electric motor with a gas engine, introducing the Prius in Japan in 1997. Its high gas mileage made it popular among environmentally conscious drivers, especially when gas prices spiked two years ago.

But the complexity of the Prius, a highly computerized car, has led to problems in the past. In 2005, the company repaired 75,000 of them to fix software glitches that caused the engine to stall. It has also had trouble with headlights going out.

In an op-ed Tuesday in The Washington Post, Toyoda said the automaker was working hard to regain the trust of customers.

"We are taking responsibility for our mistakes, learning from them and acting immediately to address the concerns of consumers and independent government regulators," he said.

"Whatever problems have occurred within our company, the strength and commitment to fix them resides within our company as well."

More information about the recall can be found by visiting the Toyota Web site or calling the Toyota Customer Experience Center at 1-800-331-4331.

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