Asahi Kasei Corp. established an independent commission on October 22, 2015, as described below.
1．Background
As announced on October 20, 2015, in the news release entitled “Faulty installation of foundation piles etc. by Asahi Kasei Construction Materials,” Asahi Kasei Corp. is advancing efforts to elucidate the cause and prevent recurrence of faulty installation of piles and the diversion and modification of data in the corresponding installation report through a task force and a fact-finding committee established within the company. Asahi Kasei Corp. also announced the establishment without delay of an independent commission comprised of attorneys having no conflict of interest with the Asahi Kasei Group.
2．Membership and roles of the independent commission
1) Membership
Commission Chair
Mr. Kazuhiro Suzuki, Attorney (former Superintending Prosecutor of Fukuoka High Public Prosecutors Office)
Commission Member
Mr. Kazushi Omori, Attorney (Omori Law Office)
Commission Member
Ms. Mieko Okita, Attorney (Shimada Hamba & Osajima)
None of the members has any conflict of interest with the Asahi Kasei Group, and there is no factor that would compromise the independence and objectivity of the independent commission.
2) Roles of the independent commission
a) Verification of the results of investigation by the internal fact-finding committee; investigation of facts related to data in the installation report, etc., including by interviewing related parties; analysis of the cause; and provision of recommendations on measures to prevent recurrence related to faulty installation of piles etc. by Asahi Kasei Construction Materials Corp. at a condominium complex in Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan.
b) Provision of guidance and counsel related to the method of investigation of installation of precast concrete piles by Asahi Kasei Construction Materials for approximately the past 10 years (3,040 construction projects).
3．Schedule moving forward
The Asahi Kasei Group will fully cooperate with the investigation by the independent commission. Progress in the investigation will be reported as appropriate.
Profiles of the independent commission members:
Kazuhiro Suzuki
April 1976
Public prosecutor
August 2005
Chief Prosecutor of Utsunomiya District Public Prosecutors Office
January 2009
Director, Criminal Affairs Department of Supreme Public Prosecutors Office
June 2010
Chief Prosecutor of Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office
August 2011
Superintending Prosecutor of Hiroshima High Public Prosecutors Office
June 2012
Superintending Prosecutor of Fukuoka High Public Prosecutors Office
January 2014
Retired
May 2014
Registered as Attorney at Law
Kazushi Omori
October 1999
Registered as Attorney at Law; joined Omori Law Office
Mieko Okita
April 2013
Registered as Attorney at Law; joined Shimada Hamba & Osajima
The financial effect of this matter on the consolidated performance of Asahi Kasei Corp. is unclear at this time. An announcement will be made promptly in the event that a material impact is confirmed.