Metals scandal forged over a decade puts big dent in Japan Inc

Tokyo

KOBE Steel Ltd unleashed an industrial scandal that reverberated across Asia's second largest economy after saying that its staff falsified data related to strength and durability of some aluminium and copper products used in aircraft, cars and maybe even a space rocket.

The Japanese company's stock ended 22 per cent lower in Tokyo as customers including Toyota Motor Corp, Honda Motor Co and Subaru Corp said that they had used materials from Kobe Steel that were subject to falsification. Boeing Co, which gets some parts from Subaru, said that there is nothing to date that raises any safety concerns. The shares of rival aluminium makers gained.

Kobe Steel's admission raises fresh concern about the integrity of Japanese manufacturers, and follows Takata Corp misleading carmakers about the safety of its air bags, and last week's recall by Nissan Motor Co of cars after regulators discovered unau…