The cited record supports the material proposition.
Kobe Steel disclosed in October 2017 that its Aluminum & Copper Business had shipped products that did not meet customer specifications with falsified inspection data.
- About
- Kobe Steel, Ltd.
- Claim made by
- Kobe Steel, Ltd., company statement
- Published
- 8 October 2017
- Original
- Timeline of Key Events
- Evidence score
- 79 How it was scored
- Last reviewed
- 25 October 2026
Why this label
The company's own records state the core facts. Its timeline says self-inspection in August 2017 found misconduct at four locations of the Aluminum & Copper Business, and the company made this public on 8 October 2017S1. Its March 2018 report says 525 customers had received nonconforming products as announced on 26 October 2017, with 163 more customers from later findingsS2. The report says the misconduct took place in other divisions and group companies tooS2. The company was later fined under the Unfair Competition Prevention Act over the misconductS4. The admission and the fine together support the claim.
Current procedural position
Company admission of 8 October 2017S1. Fine of 100 million yen ordered on 13 March 2019S4. Final as far as the records read show.
Record supporting the assessment
made public the misconduct that occurred at the Aluminum & Copper Business
525 of our customers had received nonconforming products from us
took place not only at the Aluminum & Copper Business but also at other divisions and Group companies
Conflicting or limiting record
No record located that conflicts with this assessment.
Evidence score: 79 of 100
The score grades how well the record establishes this assessment. It is not a score of Kobe Steel, Ltd.. Score = source authority + directness + corroboration + procedural accuracy + currency + reproducibility.
| Component | Points | Max | Reason |
|---|---|---|---|
| Source authorityIs the source competent to establish the proposition? | 22 | 30 | The facts come from company records, backed by a later criminal fine reported by the company. |
| DirectnessDoes the source state the proposition or only discuss adjacent facts? | 18 | 20 | The records state the shipments and the misconduct directly. |
| CorroborationDo independent records support the same material point? | 10 | 15 | The fine confirms the misconduct, but no court or prosecutor record was read. |
| Procedural accuracyDoes the record settle the procedural state the claim describes? | 12 | 15 | The fine closed the Japanese criminal case, per the company. |
| CurrencyHas the record been checked against later developments? | 8 | 10 | A search for 2025 and 2026 developments found nothing new. |
| ReproducibilityCan a reader locate the passage and repeat the assessment? | 9 | 10 | All pages are on kobelco.co.jp. |
| Total | 79 | 100 |
Timeline
Related cases
- Public prosecutors v. Kobe Steel, Ltd.Tachikawa Summary Court, Japan. Criminal. Not published.Stage: Fine ordered on 13 March 2019.
- Fine of 100 million yen under the Unfair Competition Prevention ActS4
Revision history
- Assessment first published with label Supported.
Have a record that changes this assessment? See corrections and responses.
Sources
- S1Tier B Timeline of Key EventsKobe Steel, Ltd.. Company statement. As of 11 April 2018.Company timeline from June 2016 to March 2018, including the 8 October 2017 disclosure. It does not cover the prosecution or US matters.Link working, checked 25 October 2026
- S2Tier B Report on the Kobe Steel Group’s misconductKobe Steel, Ltd.. Commissioned report. 6 March 2018.Company report drawing on the Independent Investigation Committee's work. It does not state how long the misconduct lasted.Link working, checked 25 October 2026
- S4Tier B About the decision on Kobe Steel's violation of the Unfair Competition Prevention ActKobe Steel, Ltd.. Company statement. 13 March 2019.Company report of the Tachikawa Summary Court fine. It does not reproduce the judgment.Link working, checked 25 October 2026
Other claims about Kobe Steel, Ltd.
- Unverifiable31A 2018 press report said Kobe Steel's data fraud had lasted nearly five decades.Press report, July 20181 record citedProduct claims
- Partly supported53Kobe Steel said in 2018 that its safety verification had found no cases requiring immediate suspension of use or recall of customers' products.Company statement, 18 May 20182 records citedSafety
- Supported74Kobe Steel was fined 100 million yen in March 2019 for violating Japan's Unfair Competition Prevention Act over its product misconduct.Company statement, 13 March 20191 record citedFraud
- Supported62Kobe Steel said in July 2019 that the US Justice Department confirmed it required no further documents in its investigation of the misconduct.Company statement, 17 July 20192 records citedCorporate status