A Japanese man suffered serious injuries after his bicycle flipped over. He sued the company that imported the bicycle. Recently, the Tokyo District Court ruled that the importing company must compensate the victim 189 million yen (approximately 13.8 million RMB) for his losses.
　　According to Japan's Mainichi Shimbun, a man from Tsukuba City, Ibaraki Prefecture, suffered serious injuries after his bicycle flipped over. He sued the bicycle importing company “Cycling-Europe-Japan,” demanding approximately 240 million yen in compensation. On March 25, the Tokyo District Court ordered the company to pay the injured man 189 million yen in damages.
　　The bicycle involved in the accident was the Italian brand “Bianchi,” manufactured by a Taiwanese bicycle producer and imported to Japan by “Cycling-Europe-Japan.” The court determined that the part connecting the front wheel to the frame had detached during riding due to a manufacturing defect. Under Japan’s Product Liability Act (PL Law), “Cycling-Europe-Japan” was found liable for compensation. The PL Law states that not only manufacturers but also importers of products can be held responsible.
　　The lawsuit was filed by 63-year-old Hirokazu Nakashima and his wife Noriko Nakashima. In the ruling, the court ordered “Cycling-Europe-Japan” to pay a total of approximately 150 million yen in damages. Additionally, because the bicycle accident triggered an insurance payout, the court also ordered the company to pay around 39 million yen in compensation to the insurance provider.
　　According to the verdict, the accident occurred in August 2008. Hirokazu Nakashima was riding a sport bicycle on a road in Tsukuba City when it suddenly flipped, causing serious injuries to his face and other parts of his body. Due to severe trauma to his cervical spine and spinal cord, he became paralyzed and lost movement below his neck.
　　The frame tubes of Nakashima’s bicycle were connected by metal springs. The judgment stated that corrosion had caused the springs to break, resulting in the separation of the upper and lower frame tubes while riding, which led to the detachment of the front wheel. The court noted that “the bicycle lacked the safety that is normally expected.”
　　The “Cycling-Europe-Japan” company argued in defense that “the bicycle flipped because a foreign object got stuck in the front wheel, and the separation of the frame tubes was caused by the impact when the bicycle fell.”