May 4, 2011
Former Vice President of Tokyo Electric Power Co. (TEPCO) Kano Tokio has again assumed an advisory post in TEPCO after serving for 12 years as a Liberal Democratic Party member of the House of Councilors.
Akahata on May 4 reported that the TEPCO executive-turned politician had argued for the continue promotion of nuclear energy in House committee meetings each time a nuclear-related accident occurred.
For example, a month after a nuclear criticality accident occurred and caused two deaths at a JCO nuclear-fuel processing plant in Ibaraki’s Tokai Village in September 1999, Kano spoke in defense of the power industry in a meeting of the House Committee on Economy Trade and Industry.
He said, “We shouldn’t consider stopping nuclear power generation because of an accident. I don’t think it’s reasonable for us to discuss the replacement of nuclear energy with other alternative energies or with renewable energy.”
In August 2004, Kansai Electric Power Co. (KEPCO) had an accident that killed four workers at its nuclear power plant in Fukui’s Mihama Town.
Two months later, he said to the same committee, “The accident shouldn’t cause a review of the use of nuclear energy or our energy policy. We should keep promoting nuclear power generation and its fuel-cycle program flexibly and steadily as a national policy based on the principle of the Basic Act on Energy Policy.”
A massive earthquake in July 2007 halted the TEPCO Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear power plant in Niigata Prefecture. At the time, he called for an early resumption of plant operations.
At a party Kano held after his retirement as a LDP lawmaker, those present included: TEPCO Chairman Katsumata Tsunehisa, TEPCO President Shimizu Masataka, Japan Business Federation (Nippon Keidanren) Honorary Chairman Imai Takeshi, LDP President Tanigaki Sadakazu, Ex-Minister of Economy Trade and Industry Amari Akira, and LDP Secretary General Ishihara Nobuteru.
Katsumata of Nippon Keidanren gave a speech at the party, applauding Kano for his service in the Diet as a power industry spokesman, saying, “He provided the best bridge possible between the business and the political worlds.”
Akahata on May 4 reported that the TEPCO executive-turned politician had argued for the continue promotion of nuclear energy in House committee meetings each time a nuclear-related accident occurred.
For example, a month after a nuclear criticality accident occurred and caused two deaths at a JCO nuclear-fuel processing plant in Ibaraki’s Tokai Village in September 1999, Kano spoke in defense of the power industry in a meeting of the House Committee on Economy Trade and Industry.
He said, “We shouldn’t consider stopping nuclear power generation because of an accident. I don’t think it’s reasonable for us to discuss the replacement of nuclear energy with other alternative energies or with renewable energy.”
In August 2004, Kansai Electric Power Co. (KEPCO) had an accident that killed four workers at its nuclear power plant in Fukui’s Mihama Town.
Two months later, he said to the same committee, “The accident shouldn’t cause a review of the use of nuclear energy or our energy policy. We should keep promoting nuclear power generation and its fuel-cycle program flexibly and steadily as a national policy based on the principle of the Basic Act on Energy Policy.”
A massive earthquake in July 2007 halted the TEPCO Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear power plant in Niigata Prefecture. At the time, he called for an early resumption of plant operations.
At a party Kano held after his retirement as a LDP lawmaker, those present included: TEPCO Chairman Katsumata Tsunehisa, TEPCO President Shimizu Masataka, Japan Business Federation (Nippon Keidanren) Honorary Chairman Imai Takeshi, LDP President Tanigaki Sadakazu, Ex-Minister of Economy Trade and Industry Amari Akira, and LDP Secretary General Ishihara Nobuteru.
Katsumata of Nippon Keidanren gave a speech at the party, applauding Kano for his service in the Diet as a power industry spokesman, saying, “He provided the best bridge possible between the business and the political worlds.”
