On 1 October, the first day of his appointment, Chubu Electric Power's new president Yasui Minoru (安井 稔) visited Omaezaki City, Shizuoka Prefecture, where the Hamaoka Nuclear Power Plant is located. His meeting with the mayor was classified as undisclosed at the company's request, as the company moved to launch organizational reforms aimed at restoring trust.
On the first day of his appointment, new president Yasui Minoru (安井 稔) visited Omaezaki City, the municipality hosting the Hamaoka Nuclear Power Plant. His meeting with the mayor was classified as undisclosed at Chubu Electric Power's request, and Yasui indicated that he intended to apologize for the scandal and explain the direction of organizational reforms.
The data falsification at the Hamaoka Nuclear Power Plant is said to have involved the deliberate alteration of seismic intensity data to make the shaking appear less severe, with the aim of expediting the review process. Chubu Electric Power published an investigation conducted by external lawyers and others. Although no direct instructions from senior management were identified, pressure on personnel at the site became clear.
Following the investigation, Chairman Katsuno (勝野) and President Hayashi (林), the two members of senior management, resigned to take responsibility. The applications for regulatory review toward restarting Units 3 and 4 of the Hamaoka Nuclear Power Plant were also withdrawn. The appointment of new president Yasui is positioned as the first step in reforms aimed at restoring trust.
Experts say the new president will be called on to apply both a perspective on nuclear safety and the perspective he brings as someone from the thermal power business. Some also believe that appointing talent from outside the company and ensuring transparency will be key to strengthening governance, and attention is focused on the company's approach to public explanations going forward.