The latest case of data falsification has shaken confidence in the safety of buildings.
Inspection data has been found to be falsified regarding oil dampers used for seismic isolation and vibration control produced by KYB Corp., a major oil hydraulic machinery manufacturer, and a subsidiary.
The products that do not meet the required standards are used, or are suspected to be used, in 987 buildings nationwide. A wide range of buildings are involved, from public office buildings, such as those of the Finance Ministry, the Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Ministry and the Osaka prefectural government, to condominiums and hospitals. Sporting venues to be used for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics are also included.
KYB has explained that there are no concerns that these buildings will collapse, even in the event of an earthquake registering a seismic intensity on the Japanese scale at the highest level of 7 or so. However, is there no possibility that their intended functions as facilities will be undermined, even if they do not collapse in the end? The buildings in question include more than a few facilities important to their communities because they will be used, for instance, as bases from which disaster response measures will be taken in the event of a major earthquake.
The land and infrastructure ministry had every reason to direct KYB to take quick measures to confirm the safety of the buildings and replace the installations in question with new ones.
The falsified data concerned the products' vibration resistance. If the products did not meet the standards required by the ministry and customers, KYB had to disassemble and adjust them. However, the firm shipped the products after falsifying the data.
Product inspectors involved in the misconduct have said their conduct was intended to meet "the deadline for delivery." This means they placed priority on profits over product safety. Their disregard for customers is outrageous.
Prioritize end users
The performance assessment system for seismic isolation devices is designed so that the test result documents submitted by manufacturers are examined by private-sector institutions on behalf of the national government. There is no point in such inspections if pertinent data has been falsified.
If products have passed such examinations, customers believe they meet required standards. Data falsification is nothing but an act of betraying customers.
The latest misconduct has continued since at least 2003. Although KYB's oil damper production was transferred to its subsidiary during that period, data falsification was "continuously passed down" to successive product inspectors.
In 2015, Toyo Tire & Rubber Co. was found to have falsified performance data on its seismic isolation rubber products, a case that became a societal problem. It is hard to believe that, despite that revelation, KYB continued to falsify data on its seismic isolation devices, similar to Toyo's products.
KYB has established an external investigation commission consisting of lawyers among others. Why did KYB's misconduct go unchecked? Were high-level officials not involved? All the facts of the case should be brought to light.
In the manufacturing industry, including car and metal manufacturers, there has been a series of cases involving inspection data falsification. All these cases have tarnished trust in the quality and safety of products involved.
Internationally, Japan's manufacturing skills have been highly praised due to the excellent quality of its products. The manufacturing industry as a whole must strive to restore confidence. Corporate management and staff at production sites should be united in getting rid of the conscious prioritizing of deadlines in disregard of customers.
(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Oct. 21, 2018)
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