Japan Press Weekly

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2011 July 13 - 19 [NUCLEAR CRISIS]

Asahi switched to pro-nuclear energy in 1979

Sunday edition

The Akahata Sunday edition carried an interview with Shimura Kiichiro, who was a reporter of Asahi Shimbun when the newspaper established its pro-nuclear power stance. His interview is as follows:

Since 1973, as an electric power correspondent at the economic department of Asahi Shimbun, I frequently went to the energy press club, which was located in a building of the Federation of Electric Power Companies of Japan (FEPC). In a room next to the press club there was the public relations department of FEPC whose staff members were sent from its member electric companies.

Tokyo Electric Power Co. (TEPCO) was giving detailed responses to newspaper reporters, always giving the information they needed.

Whenever I was transferred to another department in the company, TEPCO sent me a telegram congratulating me on my promotion signed by its president. When business leaders planned a study tour to Europe, the vice president of TEPCO told me that the utility would cover my travel expenses so that I could accompany them. I declined the offers though.

Asahi Shimbun carried an opinion ad promoting nuclear power generation in 1974 when I still was an electric power correspondent. Until then, Asahi reporters were basically opposed to nuclear power generation. However, in 1979, in order to form a unified opinion favorable to atomic energy, the company had a seminar for all nuclear energy correspondents throughout Japan. There, a chief editorial writer said, “As far as Japanese nuclear power plants are concerned, there is no possibility for them to cause a major accident that will have a great impact on lives.”

At that time, I was a huge supporter of atomic energy because I believed what the utilities were telling us: nuclear power is safe and cheap.

Some newspapers are still insisting that we need nuclear power plants. Media which continue to promote nuclear power need to think again.