Society

Ex-Tepco execs plead not guilty over Fukushima meltdowns

Nov 03 (Japan Times) - Three former executives of Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings Inc. pleaded not guilty over the 2011 meltdowns at its Fukushima No. 1 nuclear plant in the first appeal trial hearing Tuesday.

The appeal trial at Tokyo High Court started after a 2019 district court ruling found the three — former Chairman Tsunehisa Katsumata, 81, and two former Executive Vice Presidents Ichiro Takekuro, 75, and Sakae Muto, 71 — not guilty of professional negligence resulting in death and injury.

Katsumata did not attend Tuesday’s hearing, citing health issues.

The three had been indicted in 2016 by lawyers appointed to act as prosecutors after a prosecution inquest panel comprising ordinary citizens overrode twice public prosecutors’ decisions not to charge them.

In the nuclear accident, the power plant in Fukushima Prefecture, northeastern Japan, had an unprecedented triple meltdown after it was hit by the March 2011 massive earthquake and tsunami.

Many Fukushima residents had to evacuate as large amounts of radioactive substances were released. The number of such evacuees exceeded 160,000 in 2012.

In the appeal trial, the lawyers acting as prosecutors are seeking the reversal of the Tokyo District Court decision, while the defense side is asking for the dismissal of the appeal.

Do Bears Prefer Acorns or Berries?

Bear sightings across Japan have already climbed to nearly twice the level recorded during the same period last year, prompting entry bans in mountain areas behind Kyoto’s Ninna-ji Temple and the cancellation of hiking events in Kansai, while new research suggests that the key to reducing encounters may lie in understanding what bears eat in each region.

Copper Thieves Target Japanese Shrines

Copper roofing panels were stolen from several shrines in Hamamatsu, Shizuoka Prefecture, including a city-designated cultural property, in the latest case amid a nationwide surge in copper thefts targeting shrines and temples across Japan, where soaring metal prices have fueled crimes that leave historic religious buildings damaged, exposed to the elements, and facing repair costs of millions of yen.

1200-Year-Old Temple on Miyajima Reduced to Ashes

Flames broke out on the morning of May 20th on Miyajima Island in Hiroshima Prefecture, home to one of Japan's World Heritage sites, destroying Reikado Hall near the summit of Mount Misen.

From Bento Boxes to Garbage Bags, Rising Costs Hitting Daily Life Across Japan

Uncertainty surrounding the situation in the Middle East is beginning to affect daily life in Japan, as concerns over crude oil supplies spread to restaurants, cleaning services and even household garbage disposal systems across the Kansai region.

Tochigi Robbery-Murder Suspect’s Wife Posted Dance Videos on Social Media

A 25-year-old woman arrested as a suspected ringleader in a robbery-murder case in Tochigi Prefecture once posted cheerful dance videos on social media and was remembered by those who knew her as an energetic and outgoing young woman.

MEDIA CHANNELS

MORE Society NEWS

Garbage Burnoff Spreads to 3 Buildings in Okayama

A fire that broke out in Kagamino, Okayama Prefecture, shortly after noon on May 20th destroyed three buildings, including a home, after flames from open burning spread to dead leaves and then to nearby structures.

Gang Members Arrested After Opening Office Near Nursery

Six people, including a senior member of a group affiliated with the Sumiyoshi-kai crime syndicate's Kohei-ikka faction, have been arrested on suspicion of opening a gang office in a prohibited area near a nursery school in Tokyo's Itabashi Ward.

Six Police Officers Injured After Man Sprays Liquid at Station

A man who visited a police station in Hiratsuka, Kanagawa Prefecture, in the early hours of May 21st allegedly sprayed a transparent liquid inside the building, causing six police officers to complain of eye and throat pain and be taken to hospital with minor injuries.