The Day the Door of Silence Opened: The Years Until Former Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant Executives Started Speaking Out (2011-2014)

The Day the Door of Silence Opened: The Years Until Former Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant Executives Started Speaking Out (2011-2014)
A former senior executive involved in decision-making at the center of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident was known as a person who remained silent for a long time after the accident. While the National Diet of Japan Fukushima Nuclear Accident Independent Investigation Commission and private accident investigation commissioners pointed out flaws in the organizational culture and the opaqueness of decision-making, the fact that the person involved did not speak out left a huge gap in the understanding of the accident. The TEPCO also experienced compensation issues and organizational reforms. TEPCO was also under pressure from compensation issues and organizational reforms, and internal tension and turmoil continued. The silence of former TEPCO executives under these circumstances is thought to have been influenced not only by individual judgment but also by the pressure on the organization as a whole.
The turning point came in 2014, more than three years after the accident. As plans for decommissioning the plant and measures to deal with contaminated water began to be put in place, and society had regained some semblance of calm, the former executives finally decided to speak out. As he began to speak, the weight of the conflicts and responsibilities that had built up over the years was evident. It was also the moment when the previously unspoken details of the decision-making process were revealed for the first time, filling in the blanks left by the accident investigation.
The fact that his silence was broken is itself a symbol of the confusion that followed the accident and the depth of the questions that society is asking. The years leading up to his speaking out were a time of pain brought on by the accident and the difficulty people face in dealing with their responsibilities.