The Tokyo Electric Power Company, Incorporated, would like to make comments on subjects that are reported by the newspapers, TV or websites.
March 1, 2012
The Media has widely alleged that TEPCO attempted a full-scale evacuation of all staff from Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station. However, this is a misrepresentation of the facts. On March 15, 2011, at approximately 6:30am, the former President Shimizu issued an order "to evacuate all staff except for the minimum number of staff needed". In response, the plant general manager ordered the "team leaders to appoint those who would be remaining". The staff of partner companies and TEPCO employees (approx. 650 people) who were not directly involved in the restoration work were temporarily moved to safer locations and the remaining staff (approx. 70 people) continued to implement the work.
The message TEPCO communicated to the Prime Minister's Office is that "TEPCO may begin considering the temporary evacuation of staff not directly related to the restoration work and who would eventually have to be evacuated anyway in light of the severe plant conditions". At around 4:30am on March 15th, former President Shimizu was summoned to the Prime Minister's Office and was questioned by former Prime Minister Kan concerning TEPCO's intentions regarding a possible site evacuation. Former President Shimizu replied that a full-scale evacuation was the last thing on his mind. Former Prime Minister Kan also subsequently related the contents of this conversation to the Budget Committee of the House of Councillors on April 18th, 25th, and May 2nd. Former President Shimizu also provided the same response at the press conference on April 13th that a "that a full-scale evacuation was the last thing on his mind".
© Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings, Inc.
