TEPCO ex-chair at time of Fukushima nuclear disaster dies at 84 while on trial over responsibility

Associated Press

TOKYO (AP) — Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings’ former chairperson, who led the emergency response after a meltdown at its Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant and was accused of being responsible for failing to prevent the disaster as top management, has died, with his trials still pending. He was 84. Tsunehisa Katsumata died on Oct. 21, TEPCO said Thursday, without providing further details including the cause of his death. He later became one of the defendants in high-profile criminal and civil lawsuits seeking TEPCO management’s responsibility in their alleged failure to anticipate the massive quake and tsunami and to take preventive measures.