A senior Takata executive yesterday defended the Japanese company’s rejection of a nationwide US recall of its potentially deadly airbags, insisting that testing data did not back such an action.

Nissan is recalling more than 1,800 Infiniti SUVs in the US over an air bag problem that could send shrapnel into the passenger compartment.

Six major car makers, including Toyota, Honda and Nissan, are recalling nearly 3.4 million older-model vehicles throughout the world because of defective airbags that can send shrapnel flying into the passenger compartment.

Toyota, Honda and Nissan are recalling more than two million vehicles globally due to an air bag problem.