Prosecutors sought prison terms of up to four years Monday for six officials of JCO Co. in connection with the nation's worst nuclear accident, which left two people dead and exposed 600 others to radiation.
The Sept. 30, 1999, accident occurred at a JCO uranium processing facility in the village of Tokai, Ibaraki Prefecture.
The prosecutors' demands came in their closing arguments before the Mito District Court. The six officials are charged with negligence resulting in death, while the firm is charged with violating the Nuclear Reactor Regulation Law. It is the first time criminal liability for an atomic accident has been contested in court.
"The accident greatly shocked local residents, and had great impact as it damaged the public's trust in the safety of the nuclear energy industry," prosecutors said in a statement.