An independent panel of experts launched a probe Tuesday into the crisis at the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear plant amid strong domestic and international criticism that the government and Tepco have bungled their response.
This is the first official investigation since the deadly earthquake and tsunami hit the Tohoku region March 11 and crippled the plant, leading to the worst nuclear crisis since the 1986 Chernobyl disaster.
Headed by Yotaro Hatamura, a professor emeritus at the University of Tokyo, the panel will scrutinize the incident from a broad view with the aim of containing the damage and preventing similar disasters.