Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings Inc. President Tomoaki Kobayakawa has been appointed as the new president of the World Association of Nuclear Operators (WANO) at a general meeting in the United Arab Emirates in late September, according to TEPCO. This makes Kobayakawa the second Japanese to head WANO, following the previous TEPCO president who assumed the position in 1991.
During the general meeting on Monday, Kobayakawa expressed his hope that TEPCO can contribute to improving safety at nuclear power plants worldwide. He emphasized that this contribution would be based on lessons learned from the March 2011 accident at Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant in northeastern Japan.
WANO was established in 1989 with a mission to enhance safety standards for nuclear power plants following the Chernobyl nuclear accident in 1986. The association consists of member companies from over 30 countries and regions. Tokyo will host WANO’s next general meeting in 2026.
