Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga on Thursday again refused to release a confidential record of interviews with the deceased chief of the Fukushima No. 1 power plant, although he said the government might consider doing so at the family’s request.
Suga’s comment came in response to an earlier remark by Osaka Mayor Toru Hashimoto, co-leader of Nippon Ishin no Kai (Japan Restoration Party).
Hashimoto bashed the government for not releasing the record of the government’s interviews with Masao Yoshida, who was head of the plant during the triple core meltdown in March 2011.
The record was produced by a government panel that was investigating the crisis, and handed over to another investigative team set up by the Diet.
Before the hand over took place, Yoshida submitted a written request for the Diet panel not to publicize any of its contents to a third party, according to Suga.
“(His) intention was clearly shown. The government needs to keep (the promise), given its relationship of trust” with Yoshida, Suga said.
“If the bereaved family requests otherwise, we of course should consider it. But at least for now, it is difficult for the government” to propose disclosing the record, Suga said.
Yoshida died of esophageal cancer in July 2013.
The daily Asahi Shimbun reported in its Tuesday edition that it acquired a copy of the record, and quoted Yoshida as saying about 90 percent of 720 workers at the No. 1 plant fled to the Fukushima No. 2 power plant amid the meltdowns on March 15, 2011, despite Yoshida’s order for them to evacuate within the No. 1 site.
Read more.
Even if Mr. Yoshida had requested withholding disclosure, it’s ironic to read a member of the current government bringing up relationships of “trust.” It would be interesting to know if his family have protested the release of the interview by Asahi Shimbun.