Japanese Court Clears Ex-TEPCO Executives Of Negligence In Fukushima Disaster - Reports

The Tokyo District Court acquitted on Thursday three former executives of the Japanese energy giant, Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) the operator of the Fukushima nuclear power plant (NPP) who were each charged with criminal negligence that threatened people's lives during the nuclear disaster in 2011, media reported

TOKYO (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 19th September, 2019) The Tokyo District Court acquitted on Thursday three former executives of the Japanese energy giant, Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) the operator of the Fukushima nuclear power plant (NPP) who were each charged with criminal negligence that threatened people's lives during the nuclear disaster in 2011, media reported.

The incident occurred in March 2011 as an earthquake triggered a tsunami that hit the NPP, leading to the leakage of radioactive materials and the shutdown of the plant. A total of three reactors were operating at the power plant before the accident.

The court has found former TEPCO Chairman Tsunehisa Katsumata, and ex-vice presidents Ichiro Takekuro and Sakae Muto, not guilty, as they could not have foreseen the tsunami strike and prevented the Fukushima accident, which caused the world's worst nuclear crisis since Chernobyl, according to the Kyodo news agency.

The prosecutors had accused the officials of the inability to implement tsunami countermeasures, which resulted in the deaths of 44 people, including patients from a hospital in the disaster area who were unable to survive the chaotic evacuation, as well as in 13 people being injured due to explosions at the nuclear station.