Japan’s Kobe Steel admitted Friday that a snowballing falsified data scandal had affected around 500 customers, more than twice as many as initially thought. More than 30 foreign customers were affected, including Boeing, Airbus, General Motors, Tesla, German automaker Daimler and PSA of France,
Tokyo (AFP) — Japan’s Kobe Steel admitted Friday that a snowballing falsified data scandal had affected around 500 customers, more than twice as many as initially thought.
More than 30 foreign customers were affected, including Boeing, Airbus, General Motors, Tesla, German automaker Daimler and PSA of France, according to Japan’s leading Nikkei business daily.
The new estimate comes as Kobe Steel’s battered stock fell almost nine percent to finish at 805 yen ($7.20), down more than 40 percent since the start of the week after it admitted falsifying strength and quality data for a string of products — a practice it said may have started a decade ago.
The embarrassing scandal for a venerable firm that once employed Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has already hit wide sections of Japanese industry, including automakers Toyota, Nissan and Honda which used the materials in their vehicles.
The company had previously admitted to falsifying quality data for products sold to some 200 clients.
«Combined with previously announced clients, it will total about 500 firms,» Yoshihiko Katsukawa, a senior Kobe Steel executive, told a press conference.
«Please let us refrain from naming specific clients that have been affected.
