TOKYO, May 13 (Xinhua) -- Japanese motor manufacturer Nidec Corp. confirmed Wednesday that it has identified suspected inappropriate conduct involving certain products, including unauthorized changes to materials, manufacturing processes, and designs, during a comprehensive quality inspection.
Nikkei reported a day earlier that the number of related cases may have exceeded 1,000 and that the products involved included motors for household appliances and automotive components.
An internal company investigation found that about 97 percent of the cases involved altering molds, manufacturing processes, and product designs without customer approval. The remaining roughly 3 percent involved falsification of testing or inspection data, improper labeling of product origins, and other irregularities, according to Nikkei.
The company said it is considering establishing an investigative committee led by external experts to examine the matter, while noting that "at this time, no issues have been identified that would immediately affect product functionality or safety."
Nidec, the world's leading comprehensive motor manufacturer, has already been embroiled in an accounting scandal. The newly surfaced quality concerns are expected to intensify scrutiny of the company's corporate governance.
The suspected quality issues came to light during the ongoing probe into the accounting irregularities and involve both Nidec and its subsidiaries, Kyodo News reported, citing sources familiar with the matter. ■