Kyushu Electric Power Busted for Using Shills to Promote Pro Nuke Views at Genkai Hearing

Things may be slowly changing, even in Japan.

The Japanese national government and Kyushu Electric Power Company, both of whom are eager to restart the Reactors 2 and 3 (3 is MOX-fuel) at the aging nuclear power plant Genkai in Saga Prefecture, held a hearing back in June to discuss the matter with the 7 "concerned residents" handpicked by the national government (Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry).

The hearing was broadcast via cable TV and on the Internet. Even before the hearing (June 26), Japanese tweets were abuzz with allegations that Kyushu Electric employees were told to participate via emails and messages as anonymous, concerned private citizens and speak in favor of nuclear power and restarting Genkai.

It took about 2 weeks for the MSM to catch up with the alternative media, but now the news broke even on Yomiuri Shinbun, a traditionally pro-nuke news outlet.

From Yomiuri Shinbun (3:27AM 7/7/2011):

　九州電力玄海原子力発電所（佐賀県玄海町）２、３号機の再稼働問題で、九電の真部利応社長は６日記者会見し、経済産業省が６月に県民向け説明会を 開いた際、九電が子会社や一部社員に対し、一般市民を装い、再稼働に賛成する意見を電子メールで説明会に送るよう指示していたと発表した。

Toshio Manabe, president of Kyushu Electric Power Company, held a press conference on July 6 and admitted that when a hearing organized by the METI took place in June regarding the restart of the Reactors 2 and 3 at Genkai Nuclear Power Plant (in Genkai-cho, Saga Prefecture), his company had instructed the subsidiaries and part of its own employees to send email messages during the hearing expressing support for re-starting the plant.

　真部社長は「説明会の信頼を損ねる形になり、心からおわび申し上げる」と謝罪。読売新聞の取材に対し、進退を検討する考えを示した。

President Manabe apologized, saying "It eroded the confidence in the hearing. I apologize wholeheartedly." In response to the Yomiuri reporting, he indicated that he may consider resigning over the issue.

　説明会は６月２６日、佐賀市で開かれ、国が選んだ県民の代表７人が出席。質疑は番組としてケーブルテレビとインターネットで生中継された。メールとファクスで意見や質問を募集し、一部は番組で紹介された。

The hearing was held on June 26 in Saga City, attended by 7 "representatives" of the Saga residents handpicked by the national government. The questions and answers session was broadcast live on the cable TV and on the Internet. Opinions and questions were sought via emails and faxes, and part of the emails and faxes were discussed in the program.

　九電によると、指示は同２２日、九電本社原子力発電本部に在籍する課長級の男性社員のメールアドレスから、子会社４社と九電の３事業所（玄海原 発、川内原発、川内原子力総合事務所）の社員各１人にメールで出された。発電再開を容認する立場から、県民の共感を得るような意見や質問を発信するよう求 め、自宅からネットに接続するよう指示した。

According to Kyushu Electric, the instruction was sent out via email from a manager-class employee at the Nuclear Power Generation Division of Kyushu Electric headquarters to one employee at each of the 4 subsidiaries and Kyushu Electric's 3 nuclear operations (Genkai Nuke Plant, Sendai Nuke Plant [in Kagoshima Prefecture], and Sendai Nuclear Plant Office). It required the recipients to send in opinions and questions from the pro-restart point of view that would elicit sympathy from the Saga residents, and to connect on the net from their private homes.

I really don't know what the national government was thinking when they announced the hearing with 7 handpicked so-called "concerned citizens" which would be broadcast on cable TV and the Internet. Who did they think they were fooling? The conclusion of the hearing, not surprisingly, was that though the "residents" (7 of them) were somewhat concerned about the safety issues, they were assured they would be addressed adequately enough to allow the safe operation of the plant, and that reflected the opinion of the residents of Saga Prefecture.

Not.

Yomiuri even has a photo of the said email instruction. And it says, in part:

本件については、我々のみならず協力会社におかれましても、極めて重大な関心事であることから、万難を排してその対応に当たることが重要と考えております。

Regarding this subject [re-start of Genkai], it should be of grave concern not only to us at Kyushu Electric but our affiliate companies. We believe it is very important to deal with the issue by doing everything we can.

　つきましては、関係者に対して、説明会開催についてご周知いただくとともに、可能な範囲で、当日ネット参加へのご協力をご依頼いただきますよう、御願い致します。

So, we would like you to be well informed about the upcoming hearing, and we would like you to ask [your employees] to participate in the hearing via the Internet, as much as possible.

　説明会ライブ配信ｗｅｂｓｉｔｅにアクセスの上、説明会の進行に応じて、発電再開容認の一国民の立場から、真摯に、かつ県民の共感を得うるような意見や質問を発信。

They should access the website for the live net broadcasting, and as the hearing progresses, take the stance of a private citizen who approves of re-starting the [Genkai] reactors, and send in the sincere opinions and questions that will elicit the sympathy from the residents in Saga Prefecture.

　なお、会社のＰＣでは処理能力が低いこと等から、是非、ご自宅等のＰＣからのアクセスを御願い致します。

Since the company's personal computers have low processing capacity and for other reasons, we urge you [and your employees] to access via your home computers.

Note "for other reasons". Such as the company's IP address being revealed if they use the company PC...

According to Asahi, 4 subsidiaries were Nishi Nippon Plant Engineering and Construction, Kyuden Sangyo (industrial), West Japan Engineering Consultants, Nishimu Electronic Industries, which have 2,300 employees in total.

It's not known how many employees complied and sent pro-nuke, pro-restart opinions and questions.

I wonder if any of them, as an anonymous, private citizen, voiced concern and opposition to nuclear power and the re-start of the aging Genkai Nuclear Power Plant.

By the way, I hear that the governor of Saga Prefecture is hiding in the prefectural government office, instructing the government workers to block both protesters and supporters of the plant.

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