crime

3 former TEPCO execs to go on trial over Fukushima disaster

18 Comments
By Natsuko Fukue

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18 Comments
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Sigh ... this criminal prosecution is a mistake and not in the long term public interest. First, professional negligence is hard to prove unless they've violated standards that were already in place at the time of the disaster, or they failed to execute directives from the regulators. Neither of which seem to be the case.

Second, what cooperation TEPCO did give in investigating this incident, and their willingness to take at least part of the hit, was based on the understanding that they would at least not be criminally prosecuted. Now that it is made clear the government cannot protect them from populism, the natural reaction is that the next time a disaster occurs, the involved company will instantaneously "lose" all relevant documentation, or at least the parts unfavorable to them, making it harder to even have a proper inquiry.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Even IF they are convicted and there is NO suspended sentence, it's a 1 million yen penalty they'll be looking at.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Japan is such a lovely country. What a pity it allows the nuclear industry gangsters free rein to destroy and devastate. Utterly disgusting. Close all nuclear ower now and get on board with solar, hydro, thermal, tidal and wind.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Prosecutors had twice refused to press charges against the men, citing insufficient evidence and little chance of conviction.

This must be the joke of the day!

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Really? There has only been one death attributed to the meltdown

Disillisioned, yes that is a fitting name. During the nuclear meltdown they lied to people about the severity and methods of containing as to not create a stir. They forced employees to work there, then they raise the rates and still have not come clean about the truth, who cares about people's rights and safety, right?

Yes we need more TEPCO sympathizers like you!

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Most of the motives for action are money. Explosions in power plants carry serious damage to the environment. It is contaminated for many years .. You need to drink a special liquid neutralizing effect. Children are born with huge defects...

0 ( +0 / -0 )

The accident hasn't been resolved.

It wasn't an accident! It was a catastrophe that happened due to negligence and falsified documents relating to safety upgrades.

I've got my money on not guilty verdicts.

'Dango bong - TEPCO = cold blooded murderers

Really? There has only been one death attributed to the meltdown, which was a clean up worker. TEPCO is many things, but they are not murderers.

-3 ( +1 / -4 )

@Mlodinow: Read up on this country’s business culture, kohai, senpai and the whole shebang. Then you’ll know WHY and perhaps even see.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

TEPCO = cold blooded murderers

0 ( +2 / -2 )

@mlod

I fail to see why only people at the top are being charged. Employees right through to middle management were sure also making decisions

If the corporate culture discourages middle management from challenging decisions of superiors, the board is the place where the buck stops. In such cultures middle managers are, er, conditioned to obey superiors without question. A fish rots from the head.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

100 bucks it is a suspended sentence.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Fact is the board failed in its own precautions as Japan is usually an earthquake prone country; In fact, simple criminal negligence is the issue not only on board besides on regulators as also Japanese government which permitted such plants as Japan is country with a lot of population that might be risked in one needs to know - that is a plain sound common sense perception by any.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

“Shuttered”? Really? That’s an hilariously big brother-esque way to describe 3 destroyed through gross negligence nuclear reactors. Shuttered. LOL. Dear me.

They’ll walk away scot free, remember, as TEPCO stated, any released materials, once in the air, on the ground, are no longer theirs. So, what can they be prosecuted for? ‘Not foreseeing events that were not foreseeable’ as they like to spout. Absolutely deplorable behavior.

8 ( +9 / -1 )

I fail to see why only people at the top are being charged. Employees right through to middle management were sure also making decisions on the overall safety of the plant. If no evidence of who was making such decisions exists anymore (read: disposed of) then that would surely (you would think) breach nuclear safety record keeping rules and is an easy opportunity for still further charges against execs responsible for compliance. Prosecutors putting charges in the "too hard" basket is simply not acceptable in this instance.

0 ( +3 / -3 )

Bit late, isn't it?

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Lets watch this closely folks!

2 ( +3 / -1 )

Get the Not Guilty verdict ready. I doubt these guys would even get a suspended sentence given how in bed the government and courts are with the Nuclear village.

10 ( +11 / -1 )

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