Police have arrested disgraced structural designer Hidetsugu Aneha and seven others involved in the scandal that has shaken public confidence in the safety of residences, although the specific allegations against them at this point are not directly related to the core of the scandal -- Mr. Aneha's fabrication of earthquake-resistance data for building designs. It is hoped that the investigations will eventually reveal the scope of the scandal and shed light on what went wrong with the nation's structural design certification system.

It has been reported that Mr. Aneha has falsified quake-resistance data for designs of 98 condominiums and hotels. Mr. Aneha is suspected of having violated the law governing architects by allowing structural designer Mr. Mikio Akiba, who was also arrested, to use his name and title as a state-licensed "class-one architect."

The other seven included Mr. Moriyoshi Kimura, president of Kimura Construction Co., a client of Mr. Aneha; and Mr. Togo Fujita, president of building inspection agency e-Homes Inc. Kimura Construction Co. built 56 of the 98 buildings constructed according to Mr. Aneha's falsified design data. Mr. For the time being, however, Kimura is suspected of violating construction industry law by window-dressing his company's financial reports for the business year ended June 2004. Mr. Fujita was the first person to report data falsification by Mr. Aneha to the Land, Infrastructure and Transport Ministry after discussing the matter with Mr. Susumu Ojima, president of Huser Co., a developer. Mr. Fujita was arrested on suspicion of falsifying his firm's financial documents before acquiring official government certification as an inspector so that his firm could inspect designs of more varied types of buildings.