Readers in Council,
The Japan Times,
5-4, Shibaura 4-chome,
Minato-ku, Tokyo 108-0023
The case of the bungled condominium construction job in Yokohama (“Sinking condo blamed on worker,” Sunday, October 18, 2015), now being blamed on a single worker, a piling overseer, by developer Mitsui Fudosan Residential Co., immediately calls to my mind the 2006 case against architect Hidetsugu Aneha for his earthquake-resistance data fraud that allowed for a number of sub-standard buildings - hotels and condominiums - to be built and sold (“Aneha to be arrested over quake-resistance data fabrication ,” April 15, 2006). The scandal came to light in late-2005 after one of Mr. Aneha’s buildings collapsed. I haven’t forgotten about Mr. Aneha, and I hope the rest of Japan hasn’t, either, because what these two cases indicate is a pattern, not isolated incidents, which is worrisome considering Japan’s susceptibility to earthquakes. Maybe the ground was set for this kind of data-manipulating and standards-skimping mindset by a culture that puts a premium on appearance over substance. How safe is it now to trust Japan competently to build a safe Olympic stadium, a facility that will house tens of thousands in a single sitting and be a showcase venue for the world. The stadium situation is already scandalous. In 2006 Mr. Aneha became so infamous that even children knew his name. My then seven-year-old son and I played Jenga that we nicknamed Aneha, and he understood why (“Windfall from collapsing buildings,” Sunday, January 1, 2006). He is older now and no longer plays Jenga or anything else with me, but he has seen the recent news from Yokohama and is aware of it.