Confusion over the information on the injection of sea water into the No. 1 reactor at the stricken Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant highlights the communication problems plaguing the prime minister's headquarters and Tokyo Electric Power Co.
Both should realize that their credibility has been severely damaged. On May 21, the joint government-Tepco headquarters announced that although Tepco started injecting sea water into the reactor at 7:04 p.m. on March 12 — the day after the earthquake and tsunami hit the plant — it stopped the injection at 7:25 p.m. but resumed it at 8:20 p.m.
In the Diet, Prime Minister Naoto Kan faced criticism because of suspicion that his interference caused the interruption of the injection.