KenKan Consultants Co.,Ltd.
Integrated Consultants Leading Environmental Fields

Regarding media reports on the environmental impact assessment preliminary document for the "Kurikoyama wind power generation project (tentative project name)"

On Tuesday, October 10, 2023 and Friday October 13, 2023, it was reported that there were suspicions of falsification of survey data in the environmental impact assessment preliminary document (the "preliminary document") for the Kurikoyama wind power generation project in Yamagata prefecture.

Since our company's name was mentioned in the media reports, we would like to explain the background of this matter.

1. Contents of the media reports of Tuesday, October 10, 2023

It was reported in the media reports that "two employees of the survey company resigned from the company in 2021 because they resented the concealment of survey data in the survey conducted from 2020 to 2021." However, our company did not receive an order for the environmental survey from the operator until 2022, and another consultant company conducted the environmental survey during this period (2020 to 2021). The survey was carried out by another consultancy and we were not involved in any of this matter.

2. Contents of the media reports of Friday, October 13, 2023

It was reported that "we are reexamining the environmental survey because doubts have arisen about its credibility." However, when we conducted an interview with experts from April to June 2023, we received new information from one of them that "there is a possibility that Golden eagles are breeding." This information was written in the preliminary document and made public. Additional surveys also have been conducted since July 2023 at the direction of the operator.

3. Our initiatives for this matter

We received an order for the environmental survey and preparation of preliminary document for this project and are carrying out the work in accordance with the procedures of the Environmental Impact Assessment Act. In response to this media reports, we conducted an investigation within the company and a subcontractor, and confirmed that there was no falsification of survey data or any other wrongdoing.