Why did it fail to act? because of fear, thats why.

[link to www.theepochtimes.com]

excerpt:

"The utility said it could have done more to prevent the earthquake and tsunami-triggered disaster that became the world’s most severe nuclear accident since the 1986 Chernobyl meltdown. TEPCO said it knew that it had to improve safety procedures at Fukushima before the 9.0-magnitude earthquake sent walls of water slamming into the facility on March 11, 2011.
The reasons TEPCO gives for not implementing certain safety procedures at the plant before the disaster include to a list of fears of what would happen if they admitted such measures were needed.
The report mentions the potential negative political and legal ramifications if the utility had admitted there were problems at the Fukushima plant that needed correcting."