For the past few months Subaru has been in hot soup over a scandal involving fuel data tampering. This involves manipulation of fuel data which the company admits to have started in December 2012, although it may have also began as early as 2002. The ambiguity stems from a lack of records that goes as far back, something that does no favours in putting the company in better light.

As a result, Subaru Corp. is replacing CEO Yasuyuki Yoshinaga with current president Tomomi Nakamura (pic right) effective this month.

The incumbent has been in the chief executive post since 2012. He will not leave the company and now is Subaru’s chairman.

Recently, an internal investigation at Subaru’s Gunma and Yajima factories in Japan revealed altered fuel economy and emissions data on 1,551 vehicles during the final inspection process. Units involved were the Impreza, Outback, and Forester models. However, it does not involve units for export markets.

Subaru was first hit with this same issue last and that led to a recall for 417,288 vehicles in Japan.