The admission by Chubu Electric Power Co. of using falsified data for screening of its Hamaoka nuclear power plant raises the concern of whether similar cases are occurring at other nuclear plants around the nation.

The Nuclear Regulation Authority should not only take a harsh position toward Chubu Electric, but should also expand its search to reconfirm the reliability of data at other nuclear plants as well as review its regulation methods.

In the screening for resumption of operations at the Hamaoka plant, Chubu Electric is suspected of underestimating the standard ground motion, which represents the maximum potential shaking from an earthquake, in the seismic resistance design for the plant.

It is a breach of faith related to the very foundation of safety.

At its Jan. 7 meeting, the NRA decided to suspend the screening process.

One NRA commissioner said diagrams were manipulated........

© The Asahi Shimbun