高知・愛媛兩縣5棟縣政府相關設施隔震橡膠性能不足

A few weeks ago the Asahi News on-line reported the following:

高知・愛媛の県関連施設５棟も　性能不足の免震ゴム使用

2015年3月14日23時34分

　東洋ゴム工業（大阪市西区）が製造・販売した免震ゴムに国土交通大臣の認定基準に満たない性能不足があった問題で、不良品が使われた全国５５棟に、高知県と愛媛県で県庁や警察署など計５棟の県関連施設が含まれていることが１４日、両県への取材でわかった。

　高知県内では全国最多の９棟で不良品が使われている。県によると、内訳は県関連施設４棟、民間５棟。県関連施設では、県本庁舎が２００９～１１年度の南海トラフ地震に備えた耐震改修工事で基礎部分に７２基、県安芸総合庁舎が１３年度に新築した際に２４基を設置。１３年度新築の県警高知東署、建設中の南国署でも使った。免震装置は交換可能な構造だという。

　県は、東洋ゴム工業から具体的な情報が得られていないため危険性の有無を判断できないとしている。県の担当者は「びっくりしている。できるだけ早く説明を受け、方針を決めたい」と話した。

　愛媛県内では２棟で使われたが、そのうち１棟は県庁第１別館だった。地下１階で建物を支える柱５２本の免震装置のうち、２０本に東洋ゴム工業の免震ゴムを採用。この中に不良品があるという。大災害発生時に県災害対策本部が入る建物で、今年１月に終わった耐震改修工事で免震ゴムを導入したばかりだった。県は、東洋ゴム工業に説明を求めるとともに、耐震性に問題がないか、工事を請け負った業者などと早急に検証するとしている。

　大阪府枚方市によると、建設中の枚方寝屋川消防組合の本部庁舎も不良品が使われたと、国交省から連絡があった。今年５月ごろの完成予定で工事が進められている。

　国交省は、５５棟の内訳について公的施設が１２棟あるといった用途別や都府県別の棟数は明らかにしたが、個別の建物は「不安をあおる」などとして公表していない。国交省はデータ偽装があった製品については東洋ゴム工業の大臣認定を取り消した。同社に対し、建物所有者に連絡し、設計者などと安全性を調べて結果を国交省と所管自治体に報告するよう指示。同社は「１カ月をめどに報告したい」との回答だったという。国交省は危険と判断した建物は公表を検討する。

　東洋ゴム工業は１４日、同日午後６時までに電話窓口（０１２０・８８０・３２８）に９５０件の問い合わせがあったと明らかにした。

(試譯文)

Regarding the problem that seismic isolation rubbers produced and sold by Toyo Tire & Rubber (Nishi district in Osaka city) were lacking in performance and had not match the accreditation criteria of the Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, there were 55 buildings in the whole country using defective products; a press coverage on the 14^th (March) in both prefectures of Kochi and Ehime showed that among them there were 5 government offices or police stations etc. prefecture facility buildings.

   In Kochi prefecture 9 buildings had used defective products and were the majority in the whole country. The breakdown according to this prefecture was: 4 prefecture related facility buildings and 5 private buildings. During its earthquake-resistant repair work in fiscal year 2009 - 2011 on government office building preparation for the Nankai-trough earthquake, the prefecture had installed 72 bases to the foundation portion of the prefecture related facilities, and in fiscal year 2013 when the new prefecture Aki comprehensive government office was being built, the prefecture had installed 24 bases. Even the prefecture police’s Kochi east office building constructed in fiscal year 2013, and the Nangoku office which was still under construction had used this product. It was said that to replace the seismic isolators installed was possible.

   For the prefecture, it was assumed that it could not judge the presence of danger because detailed information could not be obtained from Toyo Tire & Rubber. From the prefecture a person in charge said that "I'm surprised. I'd like to have an explanation and decide a policy as soon as possible".

   In Ehime prefecture the product was used in 2 buildings, one building was the prefecture's government office first annex. On the 1st floor underground 20 out of the 52 seismic isolating pillars that supported the building had used the anti-quake rubber of Toyo Tire & Rubber. It was said that there were defective products among them. During an earthquake-resistant repair work just completed in January this year, anti-quake rubber had been introduced to the building which the prefecture’s anti-disaster headquarters would occupy at a time when a catastrophe struck. It was supposed that the prefecture had asked for an explanation from Toyo Tire & Rubber, and verified urgently with the traders who undertook the construction on whether there was a problem in earthquake resistance.

Hirakata city in Osaka was keeping in touch with the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport regarding defective products because it had used the product for its Hirakata Neyagawa Fire union headquarters building which was still under construction. Construction work was being advanced and its completion was expected by around May this year.

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport made known a breakdown on the 55 buildings: 12 were public facilities, and the number of buildings broken down according to prefecture and usage were made clear, but individual building was not disclosed as it could "incite anxiety" etc. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport canceled the ministerial authorization given to Toyo Tire & Rubber due to product data falsification. The same company was directed to make contact with building owners, to check with designers on safety, and to report the result to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and the autonomous body that had the jurisdiction. It was said that the company replied that it "would like to make a report in about a month". The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport was considering announcing the buildings that were judged to be dangerous.

On the 14^th Toyo Tire & Rubber revealed that by 6:00 pm on the same day there were 950 enquiries at the telephone desk (0120 880 328).

I hope that people’s confidence on Japanese workmanship would not be undermined by this incident.