Resignation

Japan Nuclear Adviser Quits

In protest of government's handling of Fukushima.

A special adviser to the Japanese government on radiation safety resigned in protest, saying he was unhappy with the handling of the crisis at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant. Holding back tears at a news conference, Toshiso Kosako, a professor at the University of Tokyo, said the prime minister's office and agencies within the government “have ignored the laws and have only dealt with the problem at the moment,” and that this approach would only prolong the crisis. Kosako was brought on as one of six special advisers to the administration, but he said that it was hard to know who was actually in charge of dealing with the crisis. Diet member Akihisa Nagashima urged Kosako to stay, saying his departure would be a “heavy blow” to the government.