Japan's nuclear agency caved to utilities
Officials at Japan's Nuclear Safety Commission say they have found evidence that the agency bowed to pressure from energy companies when it drafted nuclear safety measures more than 20 years ago.

The nuclear watchdog set up a task force in 1991 to study the effects of long-term power loss on nuclear plants.

The Commission says archive documents show that it held closed-door meetings with utilities. The energy officials argued that there was little risk of a power loss. They opposed any concrete rules on how to deal with such an event.

The documents show that the Commission decided not to add power-loss measures to its guidelines. They also reveal that the task force based its report on a draft prepared by the utilities.
[link to www3.nhk.or.jp]
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