NUCLEAR: Japan to Propose New Atomic Oversight Body

Wednesday, Aug. 3, 2011Japan is expected on Friday to announce a proposal for establishing a new nuclear accident prevention oversight agency in light of the ongoing crisis at the Fukushima Daiichi atomic energy plant, Reuters reported (see GSN, Aug. 2).

photo courtesy of:
japanfocus.org

Authorities have battled to prevent radioactive contaminants from escaping the six-reactor facility following a March 11 earthquake and tsunami that left more than 20,000 people dead or missing in Japan. The lack of measures sufficient to prevent the crisis has been blamed in part on the energy sector's close relationship with the Japanese Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency, the nation's current atomic oversight body, according to Reuters.

The reform proposal -- one of several being studied, according to Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano -- would unite within Japan's Environment Ministry the existing agency and a separate atomic consultation entity, news reports indicated. Legal measures to adopt such reforms must clear Japan's politically split legislature, government adviser Goshi Hosono said, adding he wanted to put updates into effect next April.

Specialists said the plan was not enough on its own to guarantee sufficient supervision of Japan's atomic power companies or to shore up national confidence in the nation's energy sector.

"The key is if the new agency will not be independent just in appearance, but if it can actually secure its ability to regulate," University of Tokyo professor Hideaki Shiroyama said ahead of the latest news developments (Yoko Kubota, Reuters, Aug. 3).  Read more