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Edano raps TEPCO over high salaries, compensation forms

44 Comments

A new organization that was set up to help Tokyo Electric Power Co (TEPCO) implement reforms held its first meeting in Tokyo on Monday. The state-backed entity, which has been set up by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, is tasked with ensuring that TEPCO implements internal reforms and adopts cost-cutting measures.

The supervisory body, headed by former Hitotsubashi University President Takehiko Sugiyama, must approve TEPCO's plan before the utility can become eligible to receive public funds. Sugiyama said TEPCO expects to submit a reform plan by mid-October.

Launching the body, Trade and Industry Minister Yukio Edano was critical of TEPCO, saying the company's executives were overpaid and that their salaries should be the same level as public servants, NHK reported. He was also quoted as saying he would not support an increase in electricity rates.

Furthmore, Edano criticized TEPCO for sending out complicated application forms for compensation to displaced residents of Fukushima Prefecture affected by the nuclear crisis.

TEPCO on Sept 12 began procedures to pay compensation to victims of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant accident by sending out the 60-page application form, along with a 156-page manual. Since then, TEPCO's call center has been overwhelmed with complaints, pouring in at a rate of over 3,000 per day, with callers saying that the forms are too difficult to understand.

Edano said TEPCO should simplify the application procedures. He summoned TEPCO executives to the Diet and asked them to consider things from the viewpoint of victims of the nuclear crisis, NHK reported.

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44 Comments
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Good for him. Finally someone taking a good hard look at things.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

bit less 'rapping' and asking and a bit more insisting and doing, or do you really have no power at all?

0 ( +0 / -0 )

I have been a big fan of Edano after studying his qualifications since many years ago. Edano is a people's PM and will bring many changes in Japan. He has been working too hard in the past, and his effort has to be recognized. Yay!!

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

@Yubaru

Thank you.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

I almost never hear any good news about TEPCO.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Tepco execs and any one above the cleaner need to be sorted out, i would strip the salaries of the top managment for a start, as for the forms this is disgusting and a real disgrace, Edano you need to step in and slap some heads - figuratively of course.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

People these stupid applications/manuals are NOT to keep fraud down, its to screw the public.

Who gives a damn if a few scam a bit of yen, in the overall scheme those affected need paid & quick, this is just like how the redcross didnt & STILL doesnt distribute $$$ donated, they bog it all down with needless administration.

While I HATE any fraudulent types, this manual/app is bloody penny wise POUND FOOLISH!

1 ( +1 / -0 )

If you have any data on that, I would like to look into it. I do know TEPCO executives get paid between 36,000,000 - 72,000,000 yen on the average.

This is a link to TEPCO's board, in English, http://www.tepco.co.jp/en/corpinfo/overview/p-leader-e.html

For example Norio Tsuzumi an executive VP of TEPCO is also on the board and director of Takaoka Electric Manufacturing Company Ltd.

My initial comment was partially speculation but an educated guess from working in a Japanese Corporation where the CEO also sat on the board of another corporation in the same field and vice versa. There is probably more information out there in Japanese than English.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

zichi: Sadly, anyone at the top will have by then retired and so the police won't feel the need to pursue charges, and the then company heads will say it's not their fault and that the company has grown through the experience.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

All the victims should collectively hire Mr. Edano, and sue the snot out of this company.

Include in the personal damage assessment, punitive damages, for pain and suffering, and this 60 page suppository.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Japanese laws should be passed to file criminal charges against the top executives who threatened to walk out of the Fukushima nuclear complex following the tsunami, thereby putting the whole of Japan, if not the world under a nuclear threat. This scenario was presented to ex-PM Kan who was horrified at the prospect and forced Shimizu to retract his plans. The next step should be to cut their pensions to zero to pay for all the compensation costs and then move on to slash their salaries. borscht is right TEPCO will strive hard to topple Edano very soon. No utility company should have so much clout and they should be broken up soon.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

their salaries should be the same level as public servants

the problem is public servants are overpaid as well. also remains to be seen what this new organization actually does as they are being set up by METI

0 ( +0 / -0 )

I fully expect to see Edano wrapped up in a scandal soon. One that will force him to resign from METI and perhaps keep him from becoming prime minister next year. TEPCO knows an enemy when they see it and responsible leadership is one. They'll work overtime finding something on Edano just to get him out of the picture.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

Corporate executives aren't like us. They do extremely well when times are good, and they do well when times are bad. Many have bought into the fear that "adequate" compensation will lead them to walk, leaving the entity bereft of quality leadership.

That's the theory, anyway. We'll never know about practice as it's never been allowed to happen.

At a time when countless are making do on much less, it does not seem excessive to ask TEPCO executives to do with an "average" salary - say, 10 million yen yearly. This wouldn't be permanent, of course, and they should have considerable savings as it is that will help them get by.

If they accept this, they could be commended as compassionate, patriotic citizens; if they do not, they will reveal themselves as parasitic scum.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Not only is he cute with those Budhha like ears, but he is very smart and taking a stand without being wishy washy. I like that is a man.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

The company executives of TEPCO shouldn't even be on a salary anymore. They should be behind bars, in solitary confinement, and on one meal a day...

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Good on Edano, though none of this is really new and it's a shame it took the formation of a new entity to state the obvious. As for ASKING the disaster that is TEPCO to consider things from the point of view of the victims, how about DEMANDING they do instead?

2 ( +2 / -0 )

The government's voice unusually accords with those of citizens.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

60 page compensation form VS. back of the envelope tsunami wall height calculation...you can see where the TEPCO priorities are.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Give em hell Edano! A public servant's salary is still too high for these negligent scumbags! Make them do it as community service or make them face some serious jail time!

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Edano said TEPCO should simplify the application procedures. He summoned TEPCO executives to the Diet and asked them to consider things from the viewpoint of victims of the nuclear crisis, NHK reported.

Tepco only thinks about themself

1 ( +1 / -0 )

The 60 page compensation form is probably to keep a whole lot of useless administrators employed and chewing through the funds. The victims have a lot of time on their hands.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

Are these Tepco executives the same people that were satisfied with a one page appraisal of the height of the tsunami wall carried out in 2001.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

I got a photo of 3/4 TEPCO employees (I assume) standing out the front their office in Urawa office photographing their greenery.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

I don't intend to defend TEPCO but the task of paying compensation is monumental. I can't think of any simple way of deciding who gets how much, and how to prevent cheats from applying for compensation they are not entitled to, because I am sure there will be unscrupulous characters who will try to cash in on the trillions of yen being given out.

That is probably why the forms are as complicated as they appear to be and why TEPCO wants receipts and travel records, etc. I can't imagine how they'll even begin to decide the amounts per family, individual, business owner, etc.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Saying that they are overpaid is populist stunt. But I do agree that the 60 page compensation form (to people who are quite old) was a cold calculated move to reduce the number of claims. Good on Edano for rapping them on that.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

Go get 'em Edano. Put these TEPCO grubs in their place. Looks like Edano may be feasible as the next PM early next year? This will do his popularity no harm...

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Edano, I'm listening. You're talking a good game now. Seems like Edano has the magic pen and isn't going to sign off on government support until TEPCO gets it act together.

I hope his actions back his words. Japan needs an A$%kicker right now. Someone who is willing to insert a boot into the rear end of TEPCO executives with BGM "Money can't be me love" by the Beatles.

On the ground level, that ridiculous claim form and 156+ page guideline manual that goes with it wasn't designed to support the victims. Edano has obviously seen it and rejected it to a certain degree.

Now if he backs up his words. If he really does gut-check these TEPCO guys, I'll be impressed. I've never liked Japanese politicians. All my life I've waited for the People's President.

Obama is that for me. As bad as it is, he's still working as hard as he can for the American people. Any man who would fight to make sure the working man can go to the hospital is a friend of mine.

Lets hope Edano is such a man. Let us pray that such people exist in Japan that will fight against Deep Pockets that hide behind the scenes. Japanese work so hard to maintain good will amongst each other. From the bottom there are those who follow Japan's culture blindly while Deep Pockets take advantage of them, the work force.

With Deep Pockets running this country maybe it's time for a Julius Caesar? Sometimes, the Senators, the Congress, the Deep Pockets get too fat. Sometimes they forget about the people who elected them. Although history depicts Caesar as a monster, he loved Rome and it's people so much. Maybe it's time for Japan to put someone like Edano in the position of Prime Minister......a leader for the People, who loves the People.

Silly me, what am I talking about? I just want to see TEPCO PAY!!! Then PAY some more. I hate them with a passion. Edano, hurt them please.

5 ( +6 / -1 )

About time. How ridiculous issuing a manual 154 pages long. Never mind the War And Peace application form. You'd be burning the ole electricity for hours there just trying to read through it all.

It just highlights how displaced these fatcats are from the reality that a lot of the folk affected in Fukushima are living. Let's wheel out the mother from the news story the other day. I am sure at least one member of TEPCO mismanagement has a nice, clean, radiation free driveway that could be used. I'll supply the duct tape. Anyone have a wooden sword going free?

Good on you Mr Edano. You might just be the rock that so many in Japan need right now.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

JT loves Edano. Give him a few years doing this sort of stuff and we may have a capable PM on our hands.

4 ( +3 / -0 )

@Yubaru

If you have any data on that, I would like to look into it. I do know TEPCO executives get paid between 36,000,000 - 72,000,000 yen on the average.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

60 page application form and 150 page manual??? sounds like getting a new cell phone.

thank you edano, and why arent you leading this country?

4 ( +4 / -0 )

It seems that one of the most outstanding critisms of TEPCO is the salaries of the executves, I hope one of the reccomendations will be the repayment of any bonus paid to them as well as a major reduction in their salaries. I also see that any increase in electricity charges is to be discouraged Another positive statement. TEPCO at their own expense should be required to pay for an independant expert to assist all those effected to fill out the compensation forms or be forced to reissue a simplified version of same

3 ( +3 / -0 )

The TEPCO executives' wages should be equal to the minimum wage allowed under Japanese law.

Yeah even if you did that though many if not most of these guys probably sit on boards of other corporations and make thousands if not tens to hundreds of thousands of dollars sitting in those positions. They could take zero money from TEPCO and still be making more money than the average government employee.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

"company’s executives were overpaid and that their salaries should be the same level as public servants" NO!! Definitely not!! Even the public servants are overpaid!! The TEPCO executives' wages should be equal to the minimum wage allowed under Japanese law.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

Finally some common sense coming out of Nagatacho!!!

7 ( +8 / -1 )

60pg application!!!! I can hardly handle 3. Im quite sure it was purposely done...

8 ( +8 / -0 )

I always thought that Edano would make a good prime minister. the more I read and hear about him, the more I like him. You go Edano!

2 ( +4 / -2 )

Go Edano! yes, TEPCO's people are way overpaid in their cushy jobs. time for them to go to Hello Work.

9 ( +10 / -1 )

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