Quake scandal rocks Japan

SHOCK ABSORBERS: DATA FOR PRODUCT FALSIFIED

Train station and some venues for the 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympics affected.

falsified, including government buildings such as the main ministry of finance building in Tokyo.

Media has reported that other buildings, including Tokyo’s main train station, a major tourist site, and some venues for the 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympics, may also have used the products.

KYB officials, who bowed deeply at the beginning of a news conference, said while an initial list of 70 buildings were suspected to have used products for which data was falsified, they had confirmed 28.

The true figure for buildings suspected of using the products could be as high as 1 000, they said. “We would like to apologise for this sort of inappropriate action,” said Keisuke Saito, a senior managing executive.

Shigeki Hirokado, president of KYB subsidiary Kayaba System Machinery, which KYB has said was also involved in the data falsification, said its quake shock absorbers were exported to Taiwan and some of them were problem products, but the number was “extremely small”.

One of the most common kinds of earthquake shock absorber is a piston-like mechanism usually located in the basement of a building. Another, used in higher buildings, is embedded in the walls at different levels. A spokesperson for Tokyo 2020 said they had been told by the Tokyo government that KYB products were used at several venues for the Games.

A Tokyo government official said it was possible KYB products had been used in the aquatics centre and an arena to be used for volleyball, both under construction. A different official said no KYB products were used in the Olympic Village, also still under construction.

KYB shares plunged 35% following news of the falsification. – Reuters

KYB shares plunged 35% following the news.