A subsidiary of world’s largest carbon-fiber supplier Toray Industries Inc falsified product data, the company said yesterday, making it the latest major Japanese firm to become embroiled in quality-control problems.
Toray Hybrid Cord had discovered 149 cases of falsifying data between 2008 and last year, the parent company said, but added it had so far found no safety concerns, or breach of any laws and regulations.
In final quality tests before shipments to 13 companies including tiremakers and auto parts makers, “we have unfairly rewritten some of the data” for products including cords for industrial use, it said in a statement.
“We deeply apologize for causing troubles and concerns,” Toray president Akihiro Nikkaku told reporters with a deep bow, a gesture commonly seen in news conferences of scandal-hit Japanese companies.
The news comes after some of the nation’s biggest firms admitted lapses in quality control.
Kobe Steel Ltd has said it falsified strength and quality data for a string of products shipped to hundreds of clients, from automakers to plane manufacturers.
Nissan Motor Co recalled 1.2 million vehicles after admitting last month that staff without proper authorization had conducted final inspections on some vehicles intended for the domestic market before they were shipped to dealers.
Subaru Corp also recalled nearly 400,000 vehicles after admitting that it also allowed uncertified staff to conduct vehicle inspections, while last week Mitsubishi Materials Corp said its subsidiaries falsified product data, sending its shares plunging more than 8 percent.
Toray, which supplies key parts to US aerospace titan Boeing Co and Fast Retailing Co, the operator of Japanese clothing giant Uniqlo, said it has not detected data falsifying problems with its main carbon-fiber business.
Toray shares fell more than 8 percent in early trade yesterday before recovering slightly.
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