Probe Calls Fukushima A 'Man-Made Disaster'

Japanese police officers in protective suits observe a moment of silence for those who were killed by the March 11 earthquake and tsunami as they search for bodies at a destroyed area in Minamisoma, Fukushima prefecture, in April 2011.

A Japanese parliamentary commission has concluded that last year's nuclear accident at the Fukushima plant was a "man-made disaster."

In its final report on the catastrophe, the commission faulted the government, the regulators, and the plant's operator, Tokyo Electric Power Co (TEPCO), for their slow and inadequate reactions after seawater crippled cooling equipment at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant.

A March 11, 2011, tsunami led to the meltdowns that released massive amounts of radioactivity and forced tens of thousands of residents to flee.

The report accused the parties of collusion and said they had "effectively betrayed the nation's right to be safe from nuclear accidents."

Naoto Kan resigned as prime minister in September amid widespread criticism of his handling of the crisis.

Based on reporting by AFP and dpa