Work to replace earthquake shock absorbers produced by KYB Corp., which has admitted to fabricating quality inspection data, will likely continue beyond the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games, company sources said Thursday.

The Tokyo metropolitan government has said the Olympics Aquatics Center and Ariake Arena to be used for the 2020 games are equipped with KYB products, but replacement of the shock absorbers is not expected to be completed before September 2020.

KYB only ever appointed a single inspector to check product quality, the sources said, adding that may have placed an excessive burden and resulted in the malpractice spanning over a decade.


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After powerful earthquakes in western Japan in 1995 and northeastern Japan in March 2011, quake shock absorbers have been required in more public buildings, causing a surge in demand.

But KYB, which has the largest share of about 40 percent in the seismic isolator and damping device market in Japan, has failed to expand its organizational structure.

The company has also said almost all products that did not meet quality inspection standards were shipped following data tampering.

Faulty KYB products have been used in 986 structures and the company plans to publicly identify Friday affected buildings whose owners have consented to disclosure.

KYB and a subsidiary are believed to have fabricated data between January 2003 and September this year for two types of oil dampers at their plants in Tsu and Gifu prefectures, both in central Japan.

At least eight employees were found to have been involved in altering data for seismic absorber products, and their signatures were found in records with falsified inspection data that likely affect apartments, hospitals and government buildings across Japan, according to sources close to the matter.

KYB operates in 24 countries, according to its website. Its shock absorbers are also used in cars and trains.