Prosecutors decide not to indict TEPCO, ex-PM

[proverbialwisdom]

Source: NHK via NewsOnJapan.com - Sep 09

Japanese prosecutors have decided not to indict former TEPCO executives and government officials for their handling of the 2011 nuclear crisis at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant.

Fukushima residents and others filed criminal complaints against both Tokyo Electric Power Company and more than 40 people, including former TEPCO chairman Tsunehisa Katsumata and former Prime Minister Naoto Kan.

They say the company and individuals failed to take sufficient measures to prepare for the tsunami and deal with the ensuing disaster.

On Monday, the prosecutors said that TEPCO, its former executives and the other people concerned cannot be held criminally responsible.


Read more: http://www.newsonjapan.com/html/newsdesk/article/104377.php

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http://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/english/news/20130909_24.html

Prosecutors decide not to indict TEPCO, ex-PM -NHK WORLD English

1 day ago - Japanese prosecutors have decided not to indict former TEPCO executives and government officials for their handling of the 2011 nuclear ...

http://thepeninsulaqatar.com/latest-news/252349-japan-decides-not-to-indict-tokyo-electric-power-company.html

Japan decides not to indict Tokyo Electric Power Company
Monday, 09 September 2013

TOKYO: Japanese prosecutors have decided not to indict former TEPCO executives and government officials for their handling of the 2011 nuclear crisis at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant.

Fukushima residents and others filed criminal complaints against both Tokyo Electric Power Company and more than 40 people, including former TEPCO chairman Tsunehisa Katsumata and former Prime Minister Naoto Kan.

They say the company and individuals, failed to take sufficient measures to prepare for the tsunami and deal with the ensuing disaster.

On Monday, the prosecutors said that TEPCO, its former executives and the other people concerned cannot be held criminally responsible.

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US media coverage of this?

[proverbialwisdom]

1. POINT OF VIEW/ Keiji Takeuchi: Pursuing responsibility for Fukushima disaster of utmost importance

http://ajw.asahi.com/article/0311disaster/opinion/AJ201309100038

POINT OF VIEW/ Keiji Takeuchi: Pursuing responsibility for Fukushima disaster of utmost importance

September 10, 2013
THE ASAHI SHIMBUN

The Sept. 9 decision by prosecutors to not indict anyone connected to the Fukushima nuclear accident only concluded that it is technically difficult to pursue legal responsibility of individuals for the disaster.

The Diet's Fukushima Nuclear Accident Independent Investigation Commission pointed out that the crisis at the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant was "a man-made disaster."

More than two years have passed since the reactor meltdowns at the site, but no progress has been made to determine who played what role in that disaster. That, in turn, led to ambiguities about who was responsible.

In his pitch in Buenos Aires for Tokyo to host the 2020 Summer Olympics, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said that the situation at the Fukushima plant is under control and there are no health concerns.

The reality, however, is that no work can begin on decommissioning the reactors at the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant. There is also the problem of the continuing leak of water contaminated with radiation from the plant.

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[proverbialwisdom]

2. ARTICLE: Fukushima victims angered at decision not to prosecute officials

http://ajw.asahi.com/article/0311disaster/fukushima/AJ201309100060

Fukushima victims angered at decision not to prosecute officials

September 10, 2013
THE ASAHI SHIMBUN

Survivors of the 2011 Fukushima nuclear accident expressed disappointment and anger at the announcement Sept. 9 by the Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office that it will not seek to indict any high-ranking government or Tokyo Electric Power Co. officials connected with the meltdown.

Hiroyuki Kawai, the lead lawyer for a group of about 15,000 disaster victims and others who submitted criminal complaints against officials in the government and TEPCO, the plant operator, criticized the decision.

"How can they say they conducted a thorough investigation when they did not carry out any raids on relevant offices?" Kawai asked. The group was seeking professional negligence resulting in death and injury and other charges against 42 officials.

"From the very beginning, it was not an investigation seeking indictments, but rather, one conducted so no indictments would be handed down," the lawyer said.

Journalist Soichiro Tawara also questioned the decision by prosecutors not to carry out raids on TEPCO offices to dig up evidence.

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[RobertEarl]

3. 15,000 plaintiffs

And they were just told to fuck off. This is not justice, but it is to be expected when dealing with the rich bastards.

This is just further evidence that nuclear power is only concerned with profits. Not safety, not justice, not helping victims... only all about the bottom line.

When you see a nuclear salesperson coming close make them back off.

[Octafish]

4. A shame considering the TEPCO President stayed on his sightseeing tour on March 11, 2011.

Vanishing act by Japanese executive during nuclear crisis raises questions

By Andrew Higgins
Washington Post
March 28, 1:51 PM

TOKYO — In normal times, Masataka Shimizu lives in The Tower, a luxury high rise in the same upscale Tokyo district as the U.S. Embassy. But he hasn’t been been there for more than two weeks, according to a uniformed doorman.

Death, devastation grip Japan following quake:?A massive 8.9-magnitude earthquake and several powerful aftershocks struck the eastern coast of Japan on Friday afternoon, triggering tsunamis that devastated the coastline north of Tokyo.

In fact, nobody has seen much recently of the president of Tokyo Electric Power Co., or Tepco, owner of a haywire nuclear power plant just 150 miles from the Japanese capital.

He is the most invisible — and also most reviled — chief executive in Japan.

CONTINUED...

http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/vanishing-act-by-japanese-executive-during-nuclear-crisis-raises-questions/2011/03/28/AFDnHNpB_story.html