— Mitsubishi Motors determined that it was essential to launch an investigation ("internal investigation") by a group of external lawyers into the reasons for, and facts relevant to, the past recall problems (but investigation of specific individuals or civil liability are not within the scope) with the goal of taking preventative steps disciplinary measures to see that they do not happen a second time.
The subject of internal investigation is the broad examination of the past decision making processes and the corporate culture which lead to the recall problem of 2000, and will further include an investigation into defects, including the hub and clutch housing defects, although it will not necessarily stop there.
Our company is cooperating fully and without exception, leaving the entire investigating system and method to the discretion of the team of external lawyers, which includes the submission of forms and making testimonies, etc., as necessary, and setting no limits to the extent of the overall investigation.
- Investigation framework
1. Shared lawyers (nine persons)
- In March of this year, Mitsubishi Fuso Truck and Bus Company commissioned a group of lawyers to launch an investigation into the causes of the hub incident, and in May began another investigation into the clutch housing incident.
Mitsubishi Motors, in its investigation of decision making processes and corporate culture that contributed to the recall problems of 2000, independently commissioned four lawyers on July 6th (herein to be called the "independent lawyers"). But, with regard to the hub and clutch housing issue, in order to facilitate the rapid gathering of facts, Mitsubishi Motors commissioned the same nine lawyers as Mitsubishi Fuso (herein to be called the "shared lawyers"), and will see to it that the independent lawyers can share information provided by the shared lawyers.
- 2. The roles of the independent lawyers (four persons) and the shared lawyers
- With regard to the internal investigation whose primary focus is to determine the past decision making processes and the corporate culture which lead to the recall problem of 2000, the four independent lawyers who are conducting the investigation have been studying archived materials and hearing testimony from several persons involved at the time of the 2000 problem. The independent lawyers have been gathering this information in strictest confidence and have not divulged it to the shared lawyers.
As for the Mitsubishi Fuso hub and clutch housing problems, the independent lawyers have analyzed and evaluated evidence from the shared lawyers, and they will make further independent inquires into the matter as the need arises.
The responsibility of the independent lawyers is to make a final report and presentation to the company on the Mitsubishi Fuso hub and clutch housing problems as well as the past decision making processes and the corporate culture which lead to the recall problem of 2000, in which the shared lawyers will take no part whatsoever.
- 3. Alteration of the investigation
- The company has decided that, with regard to the shared lawyers, once the prospect of the original goal of understanding the results of the investigation has been attained by the end of October, the internal investigation will be restructured such that it will be handled exclusively by the independent lawyers. At that time, the company will terminate the assignment of one of the four independent lawyers who has been separately commissioned by Mitsubishi Fuso, and their assignment to the internal investigation will be concluded in order to clarify that the investigation is being conducted by Mitsubishi Motors.
