TEPCO president vows to overcome public distrust

TOKYO (AP) — The new head of the operator of Japan's crippled nuclear plant has vowed to try to overcome deep public distrust in his company.

But Tokyo Electric Power Co. President Naomi Hirose also says he's not ready to agree with a parliamentary panel's conclusion that cozy ties between the government and industry were to blame for last year's nuclear disaster.

Hirose told journalists Thursday that the company would re-examine the panel's report. He said if the report differs sharply from TEPCO's own findings, it might investigate further.

Hirose acknowledged that TEPCO is accused of being secretive, and promised to "not receive that kind of criticism in the future."

But he offered few concrete steps on how to win back public confidence shattered by the disaster at the tsunami-hit Fukushima Dai-ichi plant.