This essay questions media narratives surrounding alleged collusion and quality issues involving Japan’s leading corporations and linear rail construction.
It reaffirms the global reliability of Japanese engineering while examining the role of media and investigative authorities.

As if it were an annual ritual, there came once again allegations of collusion among Japan’s world-renowned general contractors in connection with the construction of the linear motor car…
2018-01-20
The following is a chapter I originally published on December 25, 2017.
As I have already noted, I had long been suspicious of the series of reports suggesting that quality control among Japan’s world-class corporations had been compromised, as though the reliability of Japanese products—recognized as the best in the world—had somehow deteriorated.
As if to conclude this trend, allegations of collusion involving Japan’s leading general contractors in connection with linear motor car construction appeared like a customary year-end event… and at year’s end no less… It even seemed possible that this was a case intended to secure the special investigative unit’s annual performance results or to balance their books before the year closed.
At present, securing labor must be a major challenge in the construction industry.
With the Tokyo Olympics and reconstruction projects following the great earthquake, material costs must also be rising.
Regarding the construction of the technologically crucial linear shinkansen, which holds Japan’s future in its hands, engaging in reckless order competition that leads to shoddy work would be utterly unacceptable.
Companies such as Kajima, Taisei, Obayashi, Shimizu, and Takenaka recruit Japan’s finest talent.
They are, in other words, representative of Japan’s most capable corporate groups.
That is why Japanese structures have achieved world-class durability and reliability.
Meanwhile, what of the special investigative authorities?
Have they contributed to the strengthening of Japan’s national power?
Or have they, instead, contributed to weakening Japan’s national strength, diminishing its voice in the international community, and serving forces that wish to keep Japan politically constrained?
How should labor and materials be secured efficiently so that not the slightest defect appears in the essential structural integrity of key infrastructure?
Only Japan’s world-renowned general contractors possess the highest construction technology, countless project achievements, and vast numbers of highly skilled employees.
It is only natural that they should undertake the construction of the linear shinkansen.
Is this not a matter of national policy for the next hundred years?
How could infrastructure forming the backbone of the nation and the heart of cities be entrusted to reckless free competition and to companies—such as certain Korean firms—that can produce only work like the Palau example, where a bridge collapsed from its center?
While I was feeling such indignation, Mr. Yoichi Takahashi, a former finance bureaucrat, published an article in this month’s issue of the monthly magazine WiLL expressing exactly the same view as mine.
As I have already noted, among those reports, the one that made me think “enough is enough” regarding the childishness and crudeness of Japan’s media was the case involving Fuji Heavy Industries.
Where, in those inspections, was there any actual quality problem?
When I first entered the real estate business, it was often said that those who held the real estate transaction chief qualification were the least capable at actual work.
For that reason, I never once thought of taking the exam myself, and instead devoted myself day and night to fundamental tasks—particularly the collection of property listings essential to real estate brokerage.
At the company where I worked, which led Japan in condominium construction, I performed such legendary work that even years after my departure, junior employees telephoned in amazement to report that properties I had gathered were still recorded in the ledgers.
The title of the article by Yoichi Takahashi published in this month’s issue of WiLL—an article that every Japanese citizen should read—is: “Another Case of Fake Reporting: The Big Lie that Japanese Manufacturing Is Dangerous.”
I will introduce it in the following chapters.