"We are determined to punish irresponsible Tepco directors!": Shareholders seek the highest ever ¥5.5 trillion in damages

        

           Forty-two shareholders of Tokyo Electric Power Co. filed a negligence suit on March 5 against Chairman KATSUMATA Tsunehisa and 26 other current and former board members of the utility over the Fukushima nuclear crisis, seeking 5.5 trillion yen in damages that is the highest amount ever sought in a Japanese civil suit. The press conference started a little after 4 p.m. at the Judiciary Press Club in Tokyo. The room was packed with nearly 60 reporters and more than 10 TV cameras.

Attorney KAWAI Hiroyuki strongly condemned the defendants. "We can never tolerate the fact that they are enjoying or expecting happy wealthy post-retirement lives, while resident of the areas affected by the nuclear disaster are suffering the direst distress. It has been a year since the disaster occurred, but neither the company nor any one of the directors has accepted due liabilities. We want to rectify such a system of collective irresponsibility that prevail in the nuclear power industry by pursuing their individual responsibilities, "  he said.

The liability count named first by the plaintiffs is that the defendants irresponsibly constructed and operated nuclear power plants in Japan, a country well-known for frequent earthquakes, neglecting repeated safety warnings.    （By M）
  *Photo: Press Conference at the Judiciary Press Club

 

人々に塗炭の苦しみを与えた東電役員を許さない！～史上最高額 5.5兆円の損賠提訴

3月5日午後4時すぎ、東京・司法記者クラブの会見場は60名近い報道陣でぎゅうぎゅう詰め、テレビカメラも10数台がずらりと並んだ。 この日、東電株主の原告42人が勝俣会長など歴代・現役東電役員27人を「原発事故を起こした責任者」として、裁判史上もっとも高額な5兆5045億円の損害賠償訴訟を提起した。会見で、弁護団の河合弘之弁護士は、「人々を塗炭の苦しみに追いやりながら、自分たちは安泰な人生・ハッピーな晩年、など絶対に許せない。事故から1年経つが、東電は何一つだれ一人責任をとっていない。個人責任を追及することで原発業界における集団無責任体制を是正したい」と強調した。責任理由の第1に挙げているのは「超地震大国で漫然と原発を建設・運転したこと」だった。 （M）

　＊写真＝司法記者クラブ会見場