Japanese utility takes blame for nuclear crisis

TOKYO — The utility that operates Japan’s crippled nuclear plant says it deserves most of the blame for the crisis, in the company’s strongest remarks about its own shortcomings.

Tokyo Electric Power Co. acknowledged in a report Friday that it was not prepared to deal with the earthquake and tsunami that ravaged northeast Japan in March 2011, causing meltdowns at its Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear plant. TEPCO had earlier maintained that the tsunami was mostly to blame for the crisis.

The report said that TEPCO’s equipment and safety measures were insufficient and that the meltdowns should have been avoided. It also said TEPCO did not try to inform the public of risks and troubles at the plant.

The report is part of an internal investigation into the crisis that TEPCO launched last year.