ALI MOORE, PRESENTER: Following the disaster at the Fukushima nuclear power plant, the role of nuclear power in Japan is a topic of hot debate.

TEPCO, the power company which owns the Fukushima plant, has been heavily criticised for its response to the meltdown and for not revealing the full extent of the danger.

Now, another nuclear power company has also been accused of misleading the public.

The Kyushu Electric Power Company was found to have stacked public meetings with employees posing as ordinary citizens supporting nuclear power.

And the minister in charge of the nuclear industry has slammed the company, condemning it for watering down an independent report that found it guilty of twisting public opinion.

The ABC's North Asia correspondent Mark Willacy reports from Tokyo.

MARK WILLACY, REPORTER: The independent report into the Kyushu Electric Power Company was as unequivocal as it was damning. It found the nuclear power plant operator stacked a public meeting with undercover employees. It found Kyushu Electric had also sent in fake emails to a TV program about nuclear power. And it found the local governor had also conspired with the company to manipulate public opinion.

But the company has simply shrugged off the findings.

TOSHIO MANABE, KYUSHU ELECTRIC PRESIDENT (voiceover translation): I believe it's unavoidable that there's a difference in opinion. We have our own view.

MARK WILLACY: In its official response to the independent findings, the company offered a watered-down report with hardly a mention of the governor's name. It prompted an angry response from the minister in charge of the nuclear industry.

YUKIO EDANO, INDUSTRY MINISTER (voiceover translation): What were they thinking by submitting such a report to the people? They have some nerve doing this.

MARK WILLACY: Kyushu Electric's attempt to wriggle free of this scandal even drew a sharp rebuke from the author of the independent report.

NOBUO GOHARA, INDEPENDENT PANEL HEAD (voiceover translation): It was just arrogant. They picked only the parts which were convenient for them.

MARK WILLACY: But in the wake of the Fukushima meltdowns, the atmosphere in Japan has changed in more ways than one, and the minister is now considering ordering Kyushu Electric to resubmit its report.

YUKIO EDANO (voiceover translation): How can a public service company in good governance pick just the good parts from an independent report? It's a very serious problem.

MARK WILLACY: Kyushu Electric's audacious attempt to manipulate public opinion has only served to heighten scepticism here about the nuclear power companies, with many questioning the lengths the companies will go to to promote their business interests.

Mark Willacy, Lateline.