Japan's military industry is hit by a major scandal, with data fraud in submarine engine performance.
The "Mainichi Shimbun" reported that according to interviews with officials, the manufacturer Kawasaki Heavy Industries (referred to as "Kawasaki") is suspected of falsifying fuel efficiency test data for diesel engines of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force. According to Kawasaki, this month, "some submarine engines manufactured before 2021 may have likely involved inspection fraud," and it reported this to the Ministry of Defense. An independent legal investigation committee is conducting an investigation, and it is expected to complete the final report by the end of the year. The submarine diesel engines developed by Kawasaki are owned by the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force, which has 25 submarines, nearly half of which were built by Kawasaki. This engine has been internally developed since the late 1980s, and in recent years, it has been jointly developed with the Ministry of Defense.
According to official information, the fuel efficiency test data was measured during the trial operation after the engine was assembled, and Kawasaki apparently altered the actual measured values to meet the specifications required by the Ministry of Defense. This fraud has lasted for 20 years, and many active ships such as the "Tachibana" and "Soryu" models may be targeted.
Kawasaki explained to the "Mainichi Shimbun", "I will avoid detailing the fraud because it is under investigation, and I believe it will not affect the operation and safety of the submarines at present."
Oil tankers and container ships also confirmed similar fraud. In August 2024, Kawasaki announced that it had found fraudulent behavior in the inspection data of ship engine fuel efficiency performance. Kawasaki established a special investigation committee to investigate, and during this process, the suspicion of corruption in submarines emerged.
In the mid-term report on the investigation into the fraud of ship engines, the special investigation committee pointed out that if it is not evaluated, there is pressure to respond to customer requirements and fall behind competitors. They avoided the negative impact of explaining the actual situation to customers, prioritized delivery time and profit, and there was strong peer pressure, believing that in a work environment with high professionalism and low human resource mobility, fraud is inevitable.
In Kawasaki, it has just been discovered that the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force is making money from submarine repairs and providing inappropriate items to the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force. A series of scandals in the defense industry may lead to voices questioning the regulatory responsibility of the Ministry of Defense.
Original: www.toutiao.com/article/1841742942449676/
Statement: This article represents the views of the author.