TOKYO ? The Japanese government has confirmed five new accidents involving Toyota Motor's Prius hybrids and will urge the troubled car giant to investigate the cases, a newspaper reported Saturday.

The transport ministry has received some 80 complaints in February about malfunctions in the brake system of the latest model of the flagship Prius, the Tokyo Shimbun reported without quoting sources.

Five of them were actual crashes in which the drivers claimed the brakes did not work well, the daily said, adding that the ministry would urge the company to launch an investigation.

It was not possible to immediately confirm the report.

Toyota said Friday that it was still considering whether to recall the Prius, a day after confirming there was a design flaw with the fuel-sipping car.

The company said it had redesigned the anti-lock braking system ? designed to prevent skidding ? for the latest version of its Prius produced since last month and would soon announce steps for those already on the road.