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About Panasonic

Product Safety Issues

Following the safety issue that affected FF (Forced Flue)-type kerosene heaters, other quality and safety problems involving National*/ Panasonic products were found in dish washer/dryers and massage chairs. Panasonic sincerely apologizes for the inconvenience and trouble caused to a great many people by such problems, especially to any customers that suffered harm.

*National is one of Matsushita Electric's brands in Japan.

Countermeasures for incidents related to FF-type kerosene heaters

Panasonic would like to thank all parties that supported and cooperated in implementing various market countermeasures in response to problems related to FF-type kerosene heaters. Following incidents in 2005 of carbon monoxide poisoning caused by FF-type kerosene heaters, Panasonic established a special committee in response to the emergency order issued under Article 82 of the Consumer Appliance Product Safety Law. On May 1, 2006, this committee was reorganized into a permanent organization, the Corporate FF Customer Support & Management Division. This division continues to implement countermeasures in cooperation with new local committees set up on the same date in those areas of Japan most severely affected by the problem.

The Corporate FF Customer Support & Management Division currently has employees stationed in 14 administrative regions of Japan to find affected products and conduct related inspections, repairs and collections. The division also carries out specific programs related to other activities in each region. Programs were implemented in the Hokkaido and Tohoku regions to conduct surveys of heater maintenance contractors; in the Niigata region to survey temporary accommodation erected for earthquake victims; in the Hokkaido, Aomori and Miyagi regions to search for affected products in civilian noise pollution-prevention areas; and in the Tohoku and Hokuriku regions to contact companies that have either relocated or closed down. A total of approximately 211,000 inspections have been conducted of facilities in the most affected regions, in addition to local search activities targeting common key facilities such as nursing homes for senior citizens, inns and hotels, country houses and public meeting places. Panasonic is continuing the program to search for affected heaters, especially in the colder northern parts of Japan. Surveys are also continuing based on information related to repairs and the sale of parts.

February 2007: Female employees representing a sales company in the Yamagata region conduct a house-to-house visit

Status of recalls, inspections and repairs

Percentage of units assessed and recorded as of March 31, 2007: 69.7%

Dish washer/dryers

Panasonic initiated market recall procedures for two bench-top dish washer/dryer models manufactured between May 2001 and May 2002 (production of these models continued until March 2004). The incidents revealed that, in the affected models, leakage of water and suds into internal mechanisms due to a faulty part might, on rare occasions, lead to the generation of smoke and flames. To prevent further incidents, Panasonic published notices in the Japanese press to alert customers to the potential problem and posted warnings on its Website. Affected models are being repaired free of charge.

Massage chairs

Panasonic initiated market recall procedures for certain models of massage chair manufactured by Matsushita Electric works, Ltd (MEW) between June 2005 and January 2007. The incidents revealed that, in the affected models, damage to wiring supplying power to the internal motor might, on rare occasions, lead to the generation of smoke and flames. To prevent further incidents, MEW published notices in the Japanese press, posted warnings on its Website and set up a free-dial customer hotline. Affected models are being inspected and repaired free of charge.

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