Prosecutors won't indict former Tepco executives over Fukushima disaster: media

[Omaha Steve]

Source: Reuters

Japanese prosecutors will likely decide again not to indict three former Tokyo Electric Power Co executives over their handling of the 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster, media reported on Friday, but a rarely used citizen's panel could still force an indictment.

The Tokyo District Prosecutors Office has been reinvestigating the case after a citizens' panel ruled in July that three former Tepco executives, including then-chairman Tsunehisa Katsumata, should be indicted over their handling of the world's worst nuclear disaster since Chernobyl in 1986.

The prosecutors are likely to finalize their decision not to issue indictments early next year because of insufficient evidence, the Yomiuri newspaper and Kyodo news agency said.

An official with the prosecutors office said no decisions had been made yet.

FULL story at link.


Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/12/26/us-japan-nuclear-prosecution-idUSKBN0K404320141226

[jtuck004]

1. Heard about a lady who lost her home in Hiroshima, and later to Fukushima.

That sort of loss can put others into perspective, I think. Also a hint that one should always be prepared.

The story reminds me that any nation who elects politicians that cover for or enrich criminals deserves the future it is going to get. And it may not be the one some people think.

[rpannier]

2. Not surprising but disappointing

Japan has become the embodiment of crony capitalism and their nuclear industry is the poster child for it.
Regulators either start in the private nuclear sector, shift over to the government and then back, or start in the government and shift back and forth
Until they find a way to wedge the private companies influence out, it's never gonna happen

The biggest problem is what should be the strength, the government wants people on the regulatory committees with scientific knowledge of nuclear power.
But, when the students graduate from university, the power companies wave large amounts of money under their noses, so they go to work for them and usually won't take the lower paying government jobs.
When they do slide over to the government it's usually for a couple of years and then back to the private sector job they held before.
They have zero incentive to fully hold encounter their former and future employer

As to the public prosecutor, he isn't going to try hard, for one of three reasons; 1. He can't get anyone to go on the record with the criminal behavior by the company executives; 2. He/She is in tight with the powers-that-be and he/she gets nothing for making the effort or 3. Both

[MisterP]

9. the schools funnel straight into the megacorps, with no room for anyone outside the system

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simultaneous_recruiting_of_new_graduates

regulatory backscratching is a natural outcome of the problem

plus both schools, industry, and government are almost cultishly pro-atom, especially since it represnts energy independence like it does for France and Brazil

[Dustlawyer]

3. Sure sounds familiar! They learned from the best, we are so proud I am sure!

[billhicks76]

4. Wow

They aren't even hiding the wrong anymore.

[Phlem]

5. that shits been happening for a while

in the Republican party, We just have to deal with the nitwits who don't get it and the assholes who take advantage of it.

[DeSwiss]

6. K&R

[FiveGoodMen]

12. That's certainly what we're seeing.

Makes me wonder if -- as the quote implies -- the freedom we thought we had was always just an illusion.

[heaven05]

7. Hell no, they won't be prosecuted

they're blameless...... "insufficient evidence".........

[Demeter]

8. Proving once again that Stupidity is NOT a Crime

Darwin, however, does the mopping up in that case.

And there's enough stupidity to go around...

[blkmusclmachine]

10. Corrupt

[candelista]

11. Japan is just as crooked as the USA.

And there are major ties between Tepco and the Yakuza.

Here, for example:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/japan/japan-earthquake-and-tsunami-in/9084151/How-the-Yakuza-went-nuclear.html

And worse, here:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2511308/Yakuza-forcing-homeless-people-work-Fukushima-nuclear-plant-clear-up.html