JCP calls for third party watchdog over nuclear reactors

In the September 25 House of Councilors Audit Committee meeting, Japanese Communist Party councilor Hatta Hiroko demanded that an independent organization conduct an impartial investigation into the cover-ups of problems at nuclear power stations.

She pointed out that cozy relations between the overseeing agency and the electric power companies are the cause of the plants' false reports being accepted over a long period of time.

She demanded that an organization independent of the Economy, Trade and Industry Ministry be established to check nuclear power stations because cover-ups could never have come to light without whistle-blowers.

Asked to comment on the further revelations of similar cover-ups of failures at power stations of other electric power companies, Economic Minister Hiranuma Takeo ctric Power Co. said no more cover-ups will be reported.

Hatta requested that inspections be carried out for all nuclear power stations of all power companies, that the dangerous plutonium circulation system and the nuclear fuel cycle system be ended, and that no more nuclear power plants be constructed. (end)