Ex-utility chief blamed for delayed mention of ‘meltdown’ in Fukushima incident
Then-TEPCO president Masataka Shimizu instructed staff to use milder expression despite knowing extent of damage
An outside investigation team appointed by the operator of Japan’s damaged Fukushima nuclear plant said on Thursday that an instruction from then-company president to avoid mentioning “meltdown” delayed disclosure of the status of three reactors.
Tokyo Electric Power Co (TEPCO) described the Fukushima reactors’ condition as less serious “core damage” for two months after the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami wrecked the plant.
The panel of three TEPCO-commissioned lawyers said TEPCO used the milder expression despite knowing the damage far exceeded its meaning, following an instruction by then-president Masataka Shimizu.
The investigation, however, found that TEPCO’s delayed acknowledgement broke any law.
In the 70-page report, the lawyers said Shimizu instructed his deputy not to use the word “meltdown” during news conferences immediately after the crisis when officials were peppered with questions about the reactor conditions. At the very beginning, TEPCO’s vice president at the time, Sakae Muto, had mentioned a “possibility of a meltdown” until March 14, 2011.
