Tokyo Electric Power Co admitted that they have committed “collusion” with industry regulators in relation to the Fukushima nuclear disaster.
Last year, an earthquake caused a tsunami that damaged the nuclear power plant on the northeast coast of Japan, leading to leakage of large amounts of radiation.
According to Takefumi Anegawa, head of a company reform task force, the preliminary committee released a report with numerous descriptions about lack of safety culture, and the company complies with it.
The committee claims that the disaster could have been prevented. The company initially denied that the scale of the disaster could have been foreseen. Despite warnings from scientists and did not respond adequately at the crisis unfolded.
It took the company 18 months to admit they could have done something. Anegawa is still convinced there were misunderstandings in the technological part of the report, but the company is willing to change their organization culture.
The company has only carried out a critical self-assessment. Only two out of the fifty nuclear reactors in Japan are now operating, and this is only to avoid possible summer power cuts.
This decision was taken by the current government of Japan, with an aim to completely phase out nuclear energy by 2030. According to the opposition, however, it will take the next ten years to establish the best energy strategy for the country.
Japan is having their governmental elections this coming Sunday, but regardless of which party wins, increase in nuclear power share is not expected.
