Diet panel to be set up on nuclear accident

Japan's Upper House has enacted a law to set up a Diet panel to investigate the nuclear accident at the Fukushima Daiichi power plant.

The Upper House voted unanimously for the law on Friday.

The 10-member panel of experts independent of the government is to investigate for one year to clarify the cause of the accident.

The panel is to have the authority to summon witnesses and demand submission of documents, and is to submit a report to the heads of the 2 Diet chambers in about 6 months.

A joint council of lawmakers from the 2 chambers is to select the panel members and exercise the Diet's right to investigate state affairs in working with the panel.

The panel is to be the first consisting of only experts to be set up in the Diet.

Friday, September 30, 2011 15:29 +0900 (JST)