TEPCO Vows Not to Use Foreign Workers at Fukushima N-Plant

Fukushima, May 23 (Jiji Press)--Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings Inc. told the Japanese labor ministry Wednesday that it will not use foreign workers entering Japan under the country's new visa program at its disaster-stricken Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant for the time being. On Tuesday, the ministry called for TEPCO's careful consideration as the company had planned to use such workers for decommissioning work at the nuclear plant, the site of a triple reactor meltdown that occurred in March 2011. In its Tuesday directive, the ministry stressed the need to establish a system to ensure the safety and health of such workers. On Wednesday, TEPCO told the ministry that it will take a fair amount of time to consider such a system. Japan introduced the new visa program in April to accept more foreign workers to address serious labor shortages in the country. END