Chubu Electric's president and chair will resign after an independent investigation found years of manipulated seismic data for Hamaoka Units No. 3 and No. 4. The utility will withdraw its restart applications while it restructures and installs preventive measures. The move highlights tensions between the government's push to restart reactors to lower energy costs and lingering public mistrust following the 2011 Fukushima disaster.
Chubu Electric Leaders Resign After Falsified Seismic Data; Reactor Restart Applications Withdrawn
FILE - This aerial photo shows Hamaoka nuclear power plant, owned by the Cubu Electric Power Co., in Omaezaki, central Japan, March 26, 2025. (Minoru Iwasaki/Kyodo News via AP, File)
TOKYO — Chubu Electric Power Co.'s president and chair announced their resignations after an independent panel found the utility had for years manipulated earthquake-safety data for two reactors at its Hamaoka plant. The company also said it will withdraw pending applications to restart those units while it implements organizational reforms and preventive measures.
What the Investigation Found
An outside investigative committee concluded that Chubu Electric altered seismic figures for Hamaoka Units No. 3 and No. 4 to make the data meet regulatory thresholds. Although the report did not directly implicate President Kingo Hayashi or Chairperson Satoru Katsuno in the tampering, it said senior management's push for an early resumption of operations and sharp reprimands of the restart-permit team may have created pressure that contributed to the misconduct.
"We had serious problems with our corporate culture and governance," Hayashi said. "Regaining public trust is our top priority."
Resignations, Leadership Change and Next Steps
Hayashi and Katsuno will step down on Sept. 30. Minoru Yasui, a current director, is slated to become president on Oct. 1. Chubu Electric said it will withdraw the restart applications for Units 3 and 4 and plans to reapply only after instituting reforms, strengthening oversight and putting preventive measures in place.
Background And Wider Context
Chubu Electric submitted safety-screening applications for Units 3 and 4 in 2014 and 2015. The Nuclear Regulation Authority suspended the screenings in December after an internal probe was launched following a whistleblower tip. The Hamaoka site sits about 200 kilometers (125 miles) west of Tokyo on a coast considered vulnerable to Nankai Trough megaquakes, which heightens public safety concerns.
The announcement comes as Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's government has sought to accelerate reactor restarts to contain rising energy costs and meet carbon-reduction goals. Public opinion in Japan remains divided over nuclear power after the 2011 Fukushima Daiichi meltdowns, although some acceptance has slowly grown amid higher household fuel costs.
Current Reactor Status In Japan
According to the Nuclear Regulation Authority, of Japan's 54 commercial reactors, 11 are currently operating, 20 are offline, and more than 20 are in various stages of decommissioning.
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