Recent moves by Tokyo Electric Power Co. vis-a-vis Tepco's Management and Finance Investigation Committee, an independent government panel, show how the power company has tried to avoid being forced to sell large chunks of its assets.
As part of its maneuvers, Tepco has insisted that raising power bills will be essential if it is to survive and compensate victims of the nuclear crisis at its Fukushima No. 1 power plant.
In early September, just as the government committee was looking into Tepco's managerial and financial standings, all major newspapers reported that the utility was considering raising electricity rates. Such a move would have run counter to the panel's goal of rigidly re-evaluating the company's assets and forcing it to sell large portions of them.