1. はじめに : これまでにも東電福島第1原発事故に関する興味深い報告書が発行されてきた。たとえば政府のそれでは、東電、資源エネルギー庁関係者に対する聞き取りから、巨大津波の可能性に気がつきながら、「来ない」と考えて対策をとらなかったことを明らかにした(東京電力福島原子力発電所における事故調査・検証委員会, 2011)。独立系のそれは、「安全神話」が誕生し、原子力の商業利用が「国策民営」として推進され、電源三法交付金の導入により、「推進する政府や電力会社にとっても、反対派と対峙し、漁業者などに対する補償問題などを議論している中で、『事故はないんだというマインド』になってしまい、原発の安全性を訴える側も『安全神話』を信じ込んでいくようになった」(福島原発事故独立検証委員会, 2012, 298頁)と「安全神話」の強化を明らかにした。国会のそれは、「日本の原子力業界における電気事業者と規制当局との関係は、必要な独立性及び透明性が確保されることなく、まさに『虜(とりこ)』の構造といえる状態であり、安全文化とは相いれない実態」(東京電力福島原子力発電所事故調査委員会, 2012, 464頁)だったことを明らかにした。……

The aim of this paper is to examine whether there are any factors in the history of Tokyo Electric Power Company's (TEPCO) management activities that led to the accident at its Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station. As the company's management stabilized around the time Japan was entering its period of Rapid Economic Growth (Kodo Keizai Seicho) Kazutaka Kigawada emerged as the leader of TEPCO, shifting the direction of management from quantitative expansion to a focus on quality and high social commitment. He launched TEPCO's nuclear power project in the mid-1950s with the intention of becoming relatively independent from the Japanese government. The oil crisis forced the company to recognize its core operations to focus on the electricity business. As earnings fell with increased fuel prices and depreciation expenses could not be properly accumulated, the company's financial burden grew. External funding was required to secure capital for massive outlays such as the development of power sources and the maintenance of distribution facilities, all the while negatively affecting its capital-to-asset ratio. Gaishi Hiraiwa subsequently took over the leading position of TEPCO and advanced the nuclear power generating project in order to stabilise the management of the electricity business. He assisted in the development of a Nuclear Fuel Cycle System and strove to establish a scheme based on the best mix of electric power.” In the mid-1990s, due to the overwhelming requests of industries driven by global competition, TEPCO reduced its electricity prices. This forced the company to significantly cut operating costs and scale back its capital investments. Thus, the grave accident at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station was a result of a gradual shift in focus in TEPCO's management of the electricity business.