TEPCO has officially decided on the appointment of Yoshimitsu Kobayashi, the former secretary-general of the Keizai Doyukai, as the vacant chairman.
With a series of scandals at the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa Nuclear Power Station and the challenge of rebuilding the organization, we are urgently pursuing drastic management reforms.
TEPCO held a general meeting of shareholders in Tokyo on the 29th, and about 270 people participated.
At the general meeting, the appointment of Yoshimitsu Kobayashi, the former secretary-general of the Keizai Doyukai and the former chairman of Mitsubishi Chemical Holdings, was approved, and the subsequent board of directors officially decided to assume the post of new chairman.
TEPCO has been reforming its management by a chairman invited from outside the company after the 2011 Fukushima Daiichi nuclear accident, but seats have been vacant since June last year when his predecessor Takashi Kawamura retired.
By inviting Mr. Kobayashi, who is well-versed in energy policy and a major figure in the business world, to the top management, TEPCO plans to urgently reform the organization, which is suffering from a series of misconduct such as inadequate counter-terrorism measures at the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear power plant.
On the other hand, at the general meeting on the 29th, President Tomoaki Kobayakawa apologized for the series of scandals, saying, "We apologize for causing anxiety and distrust in the area and society at large."
Shareholders also submitted a proposal to stop the restart of the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear power plant, but as a result of the vote, it was rejected by a large number of opposition.
Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Kajiyama "I want you to take the lead in strengthening the system of the entire organization."
Regarding the appointment of Mr. Yoshimitsu Kobayashi as the new chairman of TEPCO, Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Kajiyama said at a press conference after the cabinet meeting on the 29th, "TEPCO is a company that was allowed to survive in order to fulfill its responsibility to Fukushima. I would like the new chairman to work on drastic management reforms to compensate for compensation, take appropriate measures for decommissioning, and improve corporate value in order to maintain responsibility for Fukushima. "
On top of that, he said, "While there are many difficult issues such as regaining trust from a series of scandals, rumors measures for disposal of treated water, and compensation for fishermen, I want you to take the lead in strengthening the system of the entire organization." On the other hand, he expressed his expectation to demonstrate his skill.