Employees of Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings (TEPCO) and Chugoku Electric Power Co. secretly recorded courtroom proceedings during civil lawsuits without judicial permission [1], [2].
The breach of courtroom protocol undermines the integrity of the Japanese legal system and raises questions about the internal governance of the nation's major energy providers.
According to company disclosures, multiple employees [2] were involved in the unauthorized recordings. TEPCO said that these activities occurred over a period of 11 years [1], with the recordings beginning in 2015 [1]. The employees used mobile phones and other devices to capture audio from the proceedings to prepare internal reports, and other company documentation [1], [2].
In Japan, recording court proceedings typically requires the explicit approval of the presiding judge. By bypassing this requirement, the employees operated outside the legal boundaries of the court. The recordings continued for over a decade before the practice was uncovered and disclosed this week [1].
TEPCO issued a statement regarding the discovery. "We take these inappropriate actions very seriously and deeply apologize," the company said [1].
Chugoku Electric Power Co. also acknowledged the findings following an internal investigation. "We will strive to prevent a recurrence," the company said [1].
Both companies have now admitted that the practice was used to facilitate internal corporate record-keeping, though the legality of the recordings remains a point of contention given the lack of judicial consent [1], [2].
“Multiple employees were involved in the unauthorized recordings.”
This incident highlights a systemic failure in compliance within two of Japan's largest utility companies. By recording court proceedings secretly for 11 years, these firms prioritized internal documentation over legal mandates, potentially risking sanctions or impacting the perceived fairness of the civil lawsuits in question.
