http://www.ebearing.com/news2004/050701.htm

Seven Mitsubishi Executives Arrested
copyright © 2004 eBearing Inc.

Seven current and former executives of Mitsubishi Motors Corporation (Japan) have been arrested and charged in a criminal investigation involving the coverup of Fuso truck wheel hub failures and the wheel-off death of a Hiroshima woman in 2002. Police also allege engineering and failure reports to police and government safety regulators were falsified.


eBearing reported in-depth regarding the Fuso truck hub failures, engineering analyses, history and background of the failures, Ms. Okamoto's death and the ongoing investigation alleging a criminal cover-up by Mitsubishi and Fuso executives:


click here to read the March 29 article
Fuso wheel hub failures prompt recall campaign
The seven, included the former Chairman of Mitsubishi Fuso, Takashi Usami, who resigned last month, and Managing Director of Mitsubishi Motors, Akio Hanawa. All were executives of Mitsubishi's Fuso truck division and parent Mitsubishi Motors in January 2002, when Ms. Okamoto was killed. Three of those arrested reportedly still work for Fuso.

Paralleling the arrests, police on Thursday morning raided Fuso's Tokyo headquarters -- marking the third time Fuso's headquarters has been raided in search of evidence.

Also Thursday, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport filed a criminal complaint against Mitsubishi Motors over the allegedly falsified engineering and failure reports.

"It is extremely malicious that the false reporting was conducted to avoid a recall," said Transport Minister Nobuteru Ishihara, "It is truly regrettable that Mitsubishi Motors has committed the same crime despite having been prosecuted and punished in 2000 for filing false reports."

Michio Hori, current Chairman of Fuso Truck, said, "As a company, we had insufficient sensitivity of the importance of safety and quality."

A joint statement from Mitsubishi Motors and Mitsubishi Fuso apologized, "for the concern caused to customers and to all those affected by this incident." The companies went on to say they would cooperate fully with the police and Transport Ministry in their multiple ongoing investigations.

Mitsubishi's problems also include being the only Japanese automaker losing money, being ¥1.1 trillion in debt, plus the recent refusal of 65% owner/partner DaimlerChrysler to contribute any more bailout financing, putting Mitsubishi's future in question. And the revolving door in the executive suite swung round again last week as Yoichiro Okazaki was appointed CEO of Mitsubishi Motors.

In a Thursday press conference, Ms. Okamoto's mother said, "It was murder systematically committed by the company. I will never forgive them." Mitsubishi Fuso, "could have improved much earlier, but continued to tell lies for years. I can only think that such a big company is making cars that kill people. The ex-officials who were arrested still have futures, but my daughter doesn't."

Also on Thursday, the Land, Infrastructure and Transport Ministry unveiled fundamental revisions to Japan's vehicle recall system. The moves compel more regular and detailed defect reports, along with establishing and independent panel to determine the need for a recall program. The new system will be finalized by this summer.

On Friday, Japan's Transport Ministry said Mitsubishi Motors and Mitsubishi Fuso Truck & Bus are being disqualified from all government vehicle purchases through at least November 2005.

 

give me a summary of this BS please Jay.

 

Executives covered up truck wheel hub failures resulting in the death of someone.

They're 1.1 trillion in debt.

In other words, Mitsubishi is going down the drain?

 

Nice knowing ya Mitsu...too bad I never owned any of your cars.

 

Jay,

Good luck getting parts in five years.

Love,
Matt

 

man, more bad news for mitsu when you didn't think it could get worse.

I'll take my evo in blue, free of course, thanks.

 

Ouch.

Maybe DSMs will be worth their weight in poop now?

 

cool

 

fuck shit god damn it sons of bitches

 

How do you really feel?