Resigning Chairman Katsuno and others face charges against Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office over data fraud at Hamaoka Nuclear Power Plant

Regarding data fraud related to earthquake predictions at the Chubu Electric Power Hamaoka Nuclear Power Plant (Shizuoka Prefecture), citizen groups announced on the 30th that they have submitted a complaint to the Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office against Chairman Satoshi Katsuno, who will resign on the same day, and others on suspicion of fraudulently obstructing business operations. Submission date is the 29th.

In 2014 and 2015, Chubu Electric applied to the Nuclear Regulation Authority for a review as a prerequisite for restarting Units 3 and 4 of the Hamaoka Nuclear Power Plant. In the subsequent review, the company gathered the data necessary to formulate the expected earthquake shaking (standard seismic ground motion) to its own advantage, while pretending that it had been done using a reasonable method.

The targets of the accusations are the chairman and unnamed executives and employees, alleging that they obstructed the proper review operations of the Nuclear Regulation Authority and the Nuclear Regulation Authority. At a press conference in Tokyo, attorney Hiroyuki Kawai, who represented the suspect, said, ``This is a serious incident that shakes the foundations of nuclear power plant safety. Criminal liability should be pursued.''