January
23, 2004
Asahi Kasei Corporation
Asahi Kasei Chemicals Corporation
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| Revocation of Certification for Self-inspection for High-pressure Gas Safety |
Today the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) revoked the certification of Asahi Kasei Chemicals to perform “completion inspections” and “safety inspections” provided for by Japan’s High-pressure Gas Safety Law. Asahi Kasei Chemicals, a wholly owned subsidiary of Asahi Kasei, performed its own inspections of facilities at its Kawasaki Works from 1997 to 2002 and Mizushima Works from 2000 to 2002.
On August 8, 2003, the Nuclear & Industrial Safety
Agency (NISA) of the METI, which administers regulations related
to high-pressure gas safety, instructed Asahi Kasei Chemicals
to review the inspections it performed in its capacities as
certified completion inspector and certified safety inspector.
This internal review revealed that certain items which should
have been included in the inspection program were inadvertently
omitted, and a report of this review was submitted to the NISA
on September 8, 2003.
Subsequent examination by the NISA confirmed that, while there was no alteration or fabrication of inspection results, the final inspection records submitted to the relevant Prefectural authorities were inaccurate to the extent that they stated that inspections were performed in full as mandated by law. In announcing the reasons for sanctioning Asahi Kasei Chemicals by revoking certification to perform inspections, the METI cites the submission of inspection records having inaccurate content and the failure to institute a systematic regime which would ensure that inspections fulfilled regulatory requirements.
The Asahi Kasei Group deeply regrets this failure to unerringly fulfill the vital obligations which are entailed in certification to perform these inspections. In recognition of their executive responsibility, five officers of the group will forgo a portion of their remuneration: Asahi Kasei President Shiro Hiruta, the Asahi Kasei Board Director responsible for environment and safety, Asahi Kasei Chemicals President Taketsugu Fujiwara, the Asahi Kasei Chemicals Board Director responsible for environment and safety, and the Asahi Kasei Chemicals Board Director responsible for production.
To enable us to regain anew the trust and confidence which has been lost, the utmost effort will be concentrated on revitalization of compliance systems which will ensure that such oversight cannot recur. Measures will not be limited to inspections related to high-pressure gas safety or to Asahi Kasei Chemicals, but will be a comprehensive group-wide initiative to reconfirm proper and accurate interpretation of regulatory requirements and exacting compliance therewith.
While the plants are not believed to pose an elevated safety risk, we seek to reconfirm the safety and integrity of our facilities as soon as feasibly possible. The schedule for any early shut-down will be determined through consultation with the relevant Prefectural authorities. We believe that it should be possible to manage inventories so that a shut-down for inspection can be performed without significantly affecting our supply capabilities.
Overview of relevant facilities
| Asahi Kasei Chemicals Mizushima Works |
| Location: |
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Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture |
| General Manager: |
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Issei Katsuta |
| Lot area: |
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District B, 400 thousand m2; District
C, 1 million m2 |
| Employees: |
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1100 including affiliated companies |
| Start of operation: |
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1965 |
| Investment: |
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Ethylene, benzene, acrylonitrile,
styrene monomer, polyethylene |
| |
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| Asahi Kasei Chemicals Corporation |
| Location: |
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Kawasaki City, Kanagawa Prefecture |
| General Manager: |
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Hiroshi Takeda |
| Lot area: |
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280 thousand m2 |
| Employees: |
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1100 |
| Start of operation: |
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1957 |
| Major products: |
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Acrylonitrile, synthetic rubber, elastomers |
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