Attachment 1

(Provisional Translation)

Press Release

...• 1.•.•

Ministry of land, Infrastructure. Transport and Tourism

A letter of recommendation to Koito Industries Ltd.

dealing with its wrong doings and related matters

February 8,2010

Airworthiness Division Engineering Department

Japan Civil Aviation ..Bureau

l. Outline

Based on the infonnation about wrong doings by Koito Industries Ltd. (Koito) reported

in June and July last year, Ministry of Land, lnfrastrubture Transpon and Tourism (MLIT) has

conducted continuous on the spot inspection against Koito! which starte~t in July last year. As a

result of the inspection, it was revealed that the folloW1ng "'"'fang doings including those

reported had been done in KoilO.

I

·Changes (Q the approved seal design without going through proper procedure

·Falsification and fabrication ofmspection rec~rds in manufacturing process of seats

·Improper conduct of tests required to obtain Specification Approval"', and falsification

and fabrication of the test r.esults t.

.r.~ .

*The design approval to'the aircraft components and parts provided by MLTT based on

Civil Aeronautics,Regulation Article. 14. In ckse of aircraft seat, compliance with the

technical standards IS c~nfifrried through the ~tatic load tests, dynamic load tests and

flammability icsts~etc.

..

2. Response qf MLIT

2-1. Letter of recommendation to Koito

As shown in the attached, "Leiter of recommendation on appropriate conduct of design

and manufacturing of aircraft seats", MLlT recommended Koito that it shall take following

measures to Improve its work relating to Specification Approval thoroughly and to ensure

safety and regulatory compliance ofthe seats currently used and shipped in future.

(I) Work out a concrete improvement program that constructs a system to conduct the work

regarding Specification Approval appropriately and properly, which ",till realize "safety

first" culture throughout the company, eliminate the mindset which put the highest priority

on the timely delivery and strengthen quality assurance system functions and report on the

I
details of the prOf,'Tamto JCAB by February 26 this year.

(2) Conduct investigation and retesting 9f all aircraft seats shipped so far and currently used

under JCAB supervisIOn, and clarifY their compliance status with the technical standards of

Specification Approval Clarificatiorl on Items with higher priority shall be completed

I

before the end of May this year and those on all other items shall be completed betore the

end of this year. Take appropriate ~~easures, including modification, Immediately if any

non-compliance is found. L

(3) Stop the shipment of newly manufac[ red seats for the time being except for those whose

compliance with the technical standards is confirrned by the JCAB

I

2-2. Measures for seats already shipped ana newly manufactured seats

MLIT win strktly supervise the lctiVitieS by KOITO to confirm the safety of seats

already shipped so far, which will inc1ud~ witness of retesting. vh,eiLnon-cJtnpliafj~e is found,

the JCAB will, in cooperation with forbign aeronauticaL'authorities (FAA and EASA) and

aircraft manufacturers, take appropriate aftions to ensur~ sa(ety of aircraft operations.

Moreover, JCAB will allow the shIpment of newly manufactured seats only when JCAB

inspects strictly and confirms compliancel

2-3. Prevention of similar cases

...• "

,.

.~.

MLIT intends to continuously scrutinize-very strictly activities by Koito to ensure safety

of seats already shipped an~ to preve+ re:oco-';Irrence of similar cases. It a150 intends to

strengthen supervision ofmamlfacturers of C01)1pOnentsand parts of aircrafts m Japan including

, I' Koito by making on the sP(j)1-,ins~~clions_"1\;yitho~t advance notice and reconfirmation of quality

management systems through. obta:mmKProductlon approval.