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Obayashi Faces Probe for Alleged False Report in Linear Shinkansen Tunnel Accident

Japanese labor authorities have referred construction giant 大林組 (Obayashi Corp.), another contractor, and four senior staff members to prosecutors for allegedly falsifying information about a serious tunnel accident on the リニア中央新幹線 (Linear Chuo Shinkansen) project in Yamanashi Prefecture.
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According to the 鰍沢労働基準監督署 (Kajikazawa Labor Standards Inspection Office), the joint venture’s site director and others falsely explained the cause of a worker’s fall at the 富士川町 (Fujikawa) construction site. Investigators say they claimed the worker lost his balance while leaning forward, when the real cause was the improper use of a forklift for an unintended task.
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The deceptive report, made in December 2024 — two months after the incident — allegedly violated Japan’s Industrial Safety and Health Act.

​If prosecuted, Obayashi and those involved could face fines up to 500,000 yen per violation under Article 120(5) of the Act for submitting false safety reports. This incident adds to the firm's history of compliance issues on the same project, including prior multimillion-yen fines and a 120-day business suspension for bid-rigging, potentially amplifying reputational damage and scrutiny from regulators like the Japan Fair Trade Commission.

Report based on: https://www.chunichi.co.jp/article/1174827? Accessed 2025-12-05
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I am wondering what the improper use of a forklift is because many times I have used a special cage on a forklift to reach something.

Parrahub1 wrote: ↑

6. Dec 2025, 04:05

I am wondering what the improper use of a forklift is because many times I have used a special cage on a forklift to reach something.

Yeah!!

Here an answer, translated from Sankei Shinbun:

On December 5, the Kofu Labor Standards Inspection Office referred four people, including the head of a joint venture (JV) and two companies, including the major general contractor Obayashi Corporation, to prosecutors for allegedly providing false explanations regarding the cause of a fall accident at a tunnel construction site for the Linear Chuo Shinkansen in Fujikawa Town, Yamanashi Prefecture.

According to the labor standards office, the individuals are suspected of violating the Occupational Health and Safety Act. In December of last year, they falsely explained to labor standards inspectors that the cause of the accident—where a worker fell from a height—was due to the worker losing balance when leaning out. In reality, the accident occurred because a forklift had been used for purposes other than its intended function, two months prior to the explanation.

Source: https://www.sankei.com/article/20251205 ... UMEKFWSBM/ Accessed 2025-12-06

Sounds like a stitchup to me.