Widening scandal at Japan’s Kyushu nuclear firm

BBC : Senior officials at Japan’s Kyushu Electric Company asked dozens of employees to send supportive messages to a televised debate about the reopening of one of its nuclear plants—without informing anyone that they were Kyushu employees. Last week, a whistleblower revealed that about 50 workers had sent emails to a televised debate backing a plan to restart Kyushu’s Genkai plant, but an internal inquiry has found that more than 100 employees may have been involved. Two-thirds of Japan’s nuclear reactors have been closed for inspection since the disaster at the Fukushima Daiichi power plant. The plant at Genkai, which is in the south, was one of the first plants scheduled to be reopened; the Japanese government announced last week that all plants would have to undergo more rigorous tests before being allowed to resume operation. The broadcasting company that televised the debate has reported that more than 30% of all messages sent in support of the Genkai plant being reopened were from Kyushu employees.