Ex-TEPCO leaders stand trial for Fukushima nuclear disaster

TOKYO - Three former executives of Tokyo Electric Power Co apologized in court on Friday for the 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster, but they pleaded not guilty to charges of professional negligence.

Tsunehisa Katsumata, the 77-year-old ex-chairman of TEPCO, and two former vice-presidents said they don't think they bear criminal responsibility, because they couldn't predict the enormous tsunami that flooded the plant.

That issue was expected to be the crux of their trial, the first to consider whether officials of the utility can be held criminally responsible.