Chubu Electric Power Chairman Satoru Katsuno is considering resignation over a data fraud scandal involving the Hamaoka nuclear plant, with the company withdrawing its restart application for two reactors amid regulatory scrutiny.
Chubu Electric Power Chairman Satoru Katsuno is weighing resignation over a data fraud scandal involving the Hamaoka nuclear plant, according to sources. The company has withdrawn its safety review application for Units 3 and 4, which were suspected of having falsified seismic data during regulatory screening. The misconduct, alleged to have begun as early as 2012, has drawn criticism from industry officials who say Katsuno cannot remain in the position.
Scandal Unfolds Amid Regulatory and Financial Pressure
Chubu Electric chairman Satoru Katsuno may step down over
The fraud involves cherry-picked earthquake vibration data used to secure regulatory approval for restarting the Hamaoka plant’s No. 3 and No. 4 reactors. An investigation committee’s report, received by the company, will be disclosed at a press conference on the 14th. Industry officials have called for Katsuno’s resignation, with one stating, there is no way he can remain in the position
and another noting, it is only a matter of time before he resigns.
The company also faces scrutiny over prior misconduct, including improperly billing costs for decommissioning the No. 1 and No. 2 reactors and overcharging customers by approximately ¥1.2 billion across 5 million contracts. These incidents have compounded reputational damage, with the Nuclear Regulation Authority (NRA) suspending safety reviews for the affected reactors. A separate incident revealed altered decommissioning documents for Units 1 and 2, further complicating the plant’s regulatory path.
The company disclosed the data falsification on January 5 and established an investigation committee the same day. In announcing receipt of the committee’s report, the company stated: We once again offer our deepest and most sincere apologies for having caused such a profound loss of trust.
Financial Fallout and Energy Policy Implications
Chubu Electric to Withdraw Restart Application for Hamaoka Nuclear
The scandal has triggered significant financial repercussions. The projected annual earnings improvement of ¥250 billion—based on all three units (3, 4, and 5) operating—has vanished. Chubu Electric also withdrew last year from offshore wind power projects in three domestic sea areas that it had been pursuing with Mitsubishi Corporation, further clouding its decarbonization strategy. Experts warn that the company’s governance failures could undermine Japan’s broader energy goals, which aim to increase nuclear power’s share of the electricity mix to 20% by fiscal 2040.
Go Matsuo, director of the Institute of Energy Economics and Social Research, emphasized that restarting Hamaoka Units 3 and 4 is critical for meeting the 2040 target. Withdrawing the restart application was the appropriate course of action, he said, adding that the company must rebuild its governance structure before reapplying. The delay could push the plant’s restart further into the future, given the need to reset the decade-long review process.
Strategic Energy Plan approved by the Cabinet last year sets a target of raising nuclear power’s share of the overall electricity mix from the current level of just under 10% to around 20% by fiscal 2040. However, only 15 nuclear reactors are currently operating in Japan. The issue follows a separate incident involving the No. 3 and No. 4 units at the Hamaoka plant in which seismic data was falsified, prompting the Nuclear Regulation Authority to suspend its safety review for the reactors’ restart. The NRA and an independent committee are continuing to investigate that matter.
Next Steps and Uncertain Outlook
Chubu Electric says Hamaoka nuclear plant decommissioning documents were
President Kingo Hayashi will address the investigation committee’s findings at a press conference on the 14th, detailing the motives behind the misconduct and management accountability. The company has pledged to “rebuild trust,” but the path forward remains unclear. Chubu Electric’s credibility has been eroded by successive scandals, raising questions about its ability to align with national energy policy. The Nuclear Regulation Authority and an independent committee continue investigating the seismic data falsification, with outcomes likely to shape the plant’s future.
The scandal underscores broader challenges for Japan’s nuclear sector, where regulatory compliance and public trust are under intense scrutiny. With electricity demand rising due to data center growth, the government’s energy strategy hinges on restarting aging reactors—a goal now clouded by Chubu Electric’s turmoil. The company’s next steps, including governance reforms and regulatory negotiations, will determine whether its role in Japan’s energy mix can be salvaged.
Chubu Electric is scheduled to hold a news conference on Monday to disclose the details of a report by an investigation committee on the data manipulation. The company’s decision to withdraw its safety review application for Units 3 and 4 was described as “highly unusual” by industry observers, with the reliability of the data underpinning the review deemed compromised. If the review process—which has spanned more than a decade—is reset to zero, the restart of the Hamaoka plant will be pushed even further into the future.
Industry officials have criticized Katsuno, with some saying that there is no way he can remain in the position
and that it is only a matter of time before he resigns.
Chairman Satoru Katsuno has also signaled to those around him his intention to resign over the misconduct. The extent to which President Hayashi and other executives will accept responsibility will become clear at the press conference on the 14th.
