Wider Concern
Public concern over the Minato Ward case has not been limited merely to Schindler elevators. The Asia Times Online reports that in response to a flood of inquiries from customers, including building owners, the third-largest domestic elevator company, Toshiba Elevator and Building Systems Corp. is offering free inspections of their elevators, while Mitsubishi Electric Corp., the leading firm, and Hitachi Ltd, which is the second-largest, are responding to requests on a case-by-case basis. A recent Japanese survey shows that 65% of the students interviewed are uncomfortable with elevators following the Minato incident.
In Hong Kong, following the Minato incident, many news agencies are drawing the similarities between the Minato case and the 2002 Fanling Hong Kong case. Thus, Hong Kong's Public Housing Authority has been questioned about the 33 public estates with Schindler elevators. The Housing Authority has said that all of its elevators are maintained by the original manufacturer (in Hong Kong's case, by "Schindler Lifts Hong Kong Limited", a subsidiary of Swire Asia Pacific/Jardine Matheson) and all elevators are inspected fully once every week. In comparison, Hong Kong law requires a full annual examination every year, load testing every 5 years, and an inspection every month. Some buildings have inspections every 2 weeks.
On July 20, 2006, it was reported by Asahi, one of Japan's largest newspapers, that an increasing number of software problems have been spotted, leading to 113 elevators requiring a software replacement (as of July 20) - Source: http://www.asahi.com/national/update/0720/TKY200607200560.html.
Multiple accidents involving Schindler products have continued to happen in Japan. See List of accidents and controversies in Japan
Read more about this topic: Minato Ward 2006 Elevator Accident
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