Apr 19, 2004 12:41 PM, from staff and wire reports

Takashi Usami , chairman of Mitsubishi Fuso Trucks & Bus Corp, has resigned in the wake of a recall of more than 130,000 trucks and buses equipped with faulty wheel hubs. These defaults have been blamed for causing 50 accidents, including one death.

Michio Hori has been named as the new chairman, the company said. DaimlerChrysler AG owns 65% of the Japanese truck maker.

Usami's resignation comes as police are investigating Mitsubishi Fuso for allegedly covering up wheel-related flaws.

In 2002, a wheel came off a Mitsubishi truck, hitting and killing a woman and injuring her two sons on a Yokohama, Japan, sidewalk. According to investigators, the hub that links the axle and tire was broken.

"I would like to pray for the soul of the victim who died in the accident and offer my condolences to the family," Usami said. "It is my wish that Mitsubishi Fuso will win back consumer confidence and make a fresh beginning."