Tokyo:
Japan will sack three top energy officials over their handling of the Fukushima atomic plant disaster and scandals that have fueled public mistrust in nuclear policy, the government said on Thursday.
Banri Kaieda, the minister of economy, trade and industry, told a press conference that he was planning a sweeping personnel change at his powerful ministry, which both promotes and regulates the nuclear industry.
Kaieda said the reshuffle aimed to "breathe new life" into the ministry.
He signalled that the changes will include his vice minister and the heads of the Agency for Natural Resources and of the watchdog body the Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency.
"Regarding the personnel changes at the ministry of economy, trade and industry, we have been discussing that for about a month," Kaieda told reporters. "It will be on a significant scale."
When asked whether the changes will include the top three energy officials, Kaieda responded: "It's OK for you to think that."
He said the changes would be officially announced later, without specifying when.
Since the March 11 quake-tsunami sparked the nuclear crisis, the ministry has come under intense criticism for its promotion of nuclear power and for seeking to manipulate public opinion by planting questions at open talks.