FUKUSHIMA — The prefectural government here hastily compiled the minutes of meetings by experts on a survey on the nuclear crisis’ impact on local residents’ health and released the details only after being asked by a local resident to disclose such documents, it has been learned.
A Fukushima Prefectural Government official reportedly compiled the minutes based on his notes but the number of pages is less than half that for later sessions.
A critic has pointed out that the act has damaged the confidence in official documents.
“Under the freedom of information system, government organizations are supposed to disclose documents that they created if requested to do so. If such bodies are allowed to compile documents after being asked to disclose them, they could create documents to their own advantage,” said Yukiko Miki, leader of a nonprofit organization working on the disclosure of government information. “Such an act could damage the public’s confidence in disclosed public information. It’s even worse than the national government’s failure to compile minutes on meetings on the Great East Japan Earthquake.”
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