Tokyo – Chubu Electric Power Co., Japan’s third‑largest utility, said Monday that President Kingo Hayashi and Chairperson Satoru Katsuno will resign on Sept. 30 to take responsibility for a long‑standing manipulation of earthquake safety data for the company’s Hamaoka No. 3 and No. 4 nuclear reactors.
Investigation reveals falsified seismic figures
An independent investigative panel found that Chubu Electric had altered seismic data for years so the figures would meet the Nuclear Regulation Authority’s safety thresholds. The falsified data were used in the utility’s applications to restart the two reactors, which had been shut down after the 2011 Fukushima disaster.
Hayashi said the utility will withdraw the pending restart applications for both reactors while it implements corrective measures, restructures its corporate governance, and works to restore public confidence.
Corporate culture and governance under scrutiny
“We had serious problems with our corporate culture and governance,” Hayashi told reporters. “Regaining public trust is our top priority.” Although neither executive was directly involved in the data manipulation, the panel noted that senior management set an aggressive target to resume reactor operations and reprimanded a team working on the permit, creating pressure that may have contributed to the wrongdoing.
Following the resignations, director Minoru Yasui will be promoted to president on Oct. 1.
Government context and energy policy
The resignations come as Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s administration pushes to accelerate nuclear reactor restarts to address rising energy costs and meet carbon‑reduction goals. Japan has been gradually bringing back some of the 54 commercial reactors it shut after the 9.0‑magnitude earthquake and tsunami that caused meltdowns at TEPCO’s Fukushima Daiichi plant.
Chubu Electric originally applied for safety screening of the Hamaoka reactors in 2014 and 2015. The Nuclear Regulation Authority suspended the screening in December after an internal investigation, prompted by a whistleblower’s tip.
Future of the Hamaoka plant
The Hamaoka plant, located about 200 km west of Tokyo on a coastal zone vulnerable to the Nankai Trough mega‑earthquakes, has two other reactors slated for decommissioning and a fifth reactor currently idle.
Hayashi emphasized that nuclear power remains a vital component of Japan’s energy mix. He said Chubu Electric will reapply for the restarts of the No. 3 and No. 4 reactors once preventive measures are in place and the company has made a fresh start.
Public sentiment
Public opinion on nuclear energy in Japan remains divided. Safety concerns linger after the 2011 Fukushima meltdowns, but acceptance has slowly grown as many households face higher fuel costs linked to global conflicts in the Middle East.
According to the Nuclear Regulation Authority, of Japan’s 54 commercial reactors, 11 are currently operating, 20 are offline, and more than 20 are being decommissioned.
Original reporting: KTBS 3 (Shreveport) — read the source article.
