Nidec says investigation found 844 quality-control irregularities

A third-party investigative panel set up by Nidec said Friday that it has identified 844 cases of misconduct involving some of the company’s products, such as changes to materials, manufacturing processes and designs without customer approval.

The panel was set up in May after the major Japanese motor maker disclosed more than 1,000 suspected cases of quality irregularities committed between 2020 and 2025 in its home appliance, automotive, information technology and other businesses.

The third-party body comprising outside experts said in a report that inappropriate decisions had accumulated “under pressure from various business processes, including performance targets, cost reduction and delivery deadlines,” which led to the formation and entrenchment of an “unsound state.”

Toshihiko Itami, chairman of the investigative committee and a lawyer, told a news conference that “misconduct on this scale in an area that lies at the core of manufacturing is extremely serious.” He stressed that the company “must take the matter seriously and implement corrective measures.”

The report called on Nidec’s current management to centralize the management of quality-related information and establish investigation frameworks involving an independent in-house team and outside experts.

Nidec said in a statement that the company sincerely acknowledges the reported issues, adding that it will return to the basics of monozukuri (manufacturing) and shift toward quality-centered management.