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3 firms punished for data fabrication in Kanagawa condo case

18 Comments

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism has imposed penalties on three companies for fabricating piling data in the construction of a condominium in Yokohama.

The penalties were imposed on the prime contractor, Sumitomo Mitsui Construction Corp, and its subcontractors Hitachi High-Technologies and Asahi Kasei Construction Materials, Fuji TV reported Thursday. Sumitomo Mitsui received a one-month suspension from participating in construction projects, while Hitachi High-Technologies and Asahi Kasei Construction Materials had their operations suspended for 15 days, the ministry said.

All three companies were ordered to improve their business operations.

Sumitomo Mitsui Construction Corp President Hideo Arai told a news conference Wednesday that he was very sorry that the company did not take accountability for the data fabrication.

The scandal came to light after the Yokohama condominium, built by Asahi Kasei Construction Materials, was found to be tilting last October.

Asahi Kasei Construction Materials Corp has since admitted that 61 of its employees had fabricated data in 360 out of 3,052 building projects since 2005.

The 360 buildings include 73 in Tokyo, 53 in Hokkaido, 36 in Kanagawa Prefecture and 31 in Saitama Prefecture. Among them are schools, medical and welfare facilities, and community centers, company officials said.

So far, only one building -- the tilted condo in Yokohama — has been found to be defective.

The ministry said it hasn't decided yet whether to file criminal charges for violation of the building standards law.

© Japan Today

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18 Comments
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Sumitomo Mitsui received a one-month suspension from participating in construction projects, while Hitachi High-Technologies and Asahi Kasei Construction Materials had their operations suspended for 15 days, the ministry said.

Oeeeehhhh one month / 15 day suspension. That must really hurt them. pfff

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Sumitomo Mitsui Construction Corp President Hideo Arai told a news conference Wednesday that he was very sorry that the company did not take accountability for the data fabrication.

So...does that mean they're taking accountability now, or not?

2 ( +2 / -0 )

How does anything ever get done correctly when it seems so acceptable to cheat?

5 ( +5 / -0 )

Japan's thin vale of "safety"

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Only one has shown any sign of being defective! What?

All the buildings listed need to undergo a complete check and to be renovated in anyway possible to fix the structures before a big quaker comes.

If the said buildings cannot be fixed on the companies costs, then the owners of each condo or building should get a full refund including all fees and fees for new purchases and a compensation for the enduring stress and hassle.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

All the buildings listed need to undergo a complete check and to be renovated in anyway possible to fix the structures before a big quaker comes.

I believe when the original story came out, they had indicated this was being done. Because they falsified data doesn't necessarily mean all the buildings are structurally unsound, it could just mean they didn't bother with all the tests/inspections they are required to perform.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Nice.... 360 buildings found to have been incorrectly constructed and they give them a 15 day vacation.

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

for frake sake, seems like cheating will pay off big time in Japan, just a few weeks suspensions for hundreds millions yen in profits. who cares if the government is watching they having got the nads to do anything about it. whos the next poor sods we can screw!

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Take note that the government has not decided to file criminal charges YET on the companies. Most likely the police and the prosecutor's office are compiling evidence for a court hearing.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Are the buildings sitting on these piles safe? What about the owners of the buildings that paid for proper piles? Seems to me that a future sale of any of these buildings would be very difficult if the piling history were known.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Nice.... 360 buildings found to have been incorrectly constructed and they give them a 15 day vacation.

Where did you read that 360 buildings were "incorrectly constructed?" No need to spread false information, so far only ONE building, has been found to have construction defects.

-3 ( +0 / -3 )

The article reports that 360 buildings were built using fabricated data.... which to me means they were constructed incorrectly. You're assuming yourself that they were built correctly.... which also could be false. But considering it was found their data was fabricated... you might also think they incorrectly built the structures.

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

Those penalties though. Basically it is going to the naughty corner telling little Johhny not to do it again. I am surprised "obliged" or "recommended" weren't used. Government seems to enjoy recommending companies to step in line or obliged to do so, rather than coming down like a ton of bricks on companies that are reckless and imposing stricter regulations. I wonder how much these corporations pay to government officials in backhanders took the other way.

Of course they haven't decided if there will be any criminal charges even though some members admitted to the charges, they are more likely to get a pay rise than actual prosecution.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Dear Thumbs Down-san: I hope you do not live in one of the 360 buildings with false data.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

15 days suspension ? What a joke. How can thing change if cheaters and falsifier are giving a "license to cheat" ?

0 ( +0 / -0 )

The article reports that 360 buildings were built using fabricated data....

No it didnt, you are assuming that the buildings were built with fabricated data. There is nothing to prove that it is so.

All it was reported was the following, it does not say when or how the data was fabricated.

Asahi Kasei Construction Materials Corp has since admitted that 61 of its employees had fabricated data in 360 out of 3,052 building projects since 2005.

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

Oeeeehhhh one month / 15 day suspension. That must really hurt them. pfff

It will. Delayed deadlines cost money big money.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

@Yubaru... do you work at Asahi Kasei.. if yes then I might understand your attitude.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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