Overconfidence about quality control cited over Mitsubishi Materials scandal

February 21, 2018

Tokyo- A data falsification scandal involving a Mitsubishi Materials Corp. unit was caused by overconfidence about quality control and a lack of risk awareness, an investigative committee set up by the parent said Tuesday.

Workers at the Mitsubishi Cable Industries Ltd. subsidiary were overconfident about their ability to judge the safety of its products while being less aware of the need to satisfy quality standards promised to clients, the committee said in its final report on the scandal.

Improper practices were rampant for years, leading to less awareness of risks involving quality issues, said the three-member committee, including an outside board member and a lawyer.

The report added that Mitsubishi Cable's seal operations, in which the scandal occurred, had insufficient resources in terms of personnel and equipment.

Mitsubishi Cable President Nobuhiro Takayanagi will return 30 pct of remuneration for a month to take responsibility for the scandal. His predecessor, Hiroaki Murata, will resign as a board member on Feb. 28.

In response to the report, Mitsubishi Cable drew up measures designed to prevent any repeat of the scandal, such as reinforcing its quality assurance operations. Jiji Press