Japanese company Toyobo Co., has issued a statement stating that it does not understand why it has been named as co-defendant in a lawsuit brought against Second Chance Body Armor. The lawsuit, which was filed last week in Washington by the US Justice Department on behalf of several federal agencies, alleges that from 1998 until 2001 Toyobo and Second Chance did not disclose information that Zylon fabric, produced by Toyobo and used by Second Chance in its Body armour, degraded substantially when exposed to certain light, temperature and humidity conditions.

Toyobo claims that the lawsuit is really about Second Chance and the allegations made by a former employee about what Second Chance knew and its decision not to share critical information about the failure of its vests with Toyobo, the public, the law enforcement community and investigating authorities.

Toyobo Co., Ltd. is a multi-national company based in Osaka, Japan active in chemicals, fibres, textiles, films, biochemicals, and pharmaceutical products.

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