Japan scandal-hit nuclear plant operator head to resign: reports
The president and chairman of Chubu Electric Power are set to resign following a scandal involving the tampering of earthquake safety data at the Hamaoka nuclear plant. The company is expected to withdraw its application to restart two reactors as Japan seeks to expand its nuclear energy capacity.
Why it matters
This incident underscores the significant regulatory and safety challenges Japan faces in its efforts to revive nuclear power for energy security.
The president of a Japanese nuclear plant operator will step down following a quake data-tampering scandal, local media reported on Monday (September 14, 2026), with the firm expected to abandon plans to restart two reactors.
Japan is moving to revive nuclear power 15 years after an enormous earthquake and tsunami sent reactors at the Fukushima atomic plant into meltdown in 2011.
Chubu Electric Power's Hamaoka nuclear plant — located in an area of central Japan at risk of a potential "megaquake" — has been undergoing regulatory safety checks, with the aim of restarting two reactors.
But in January, the operator said that it had submitted data to regulators that underestimated earthquake risks.
Public broadcaster NHK and other local media said that president Kingo Hayashi and chairman Satoru Katsuno will step down.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in