On November 12, the Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) held a meeting in Tokyo to make a public report of its activities during the past year. JAEA President Toshio Kodama began the meeting by explaining Future Vision JAEA2050+, formulated by the agency at the end of last month. Presentations were then given on the latest results of R&D at the agency, followed by a talk session about its research and involvement in society In that session, presentations were given by Itaru Yasui, president of the Institute for Promoting Sustainable Societies and chair of the Nuclear Energy Subcommittee under the Advisory Committee for Natural Resources and Energy, as well as by Tomoko Murakami of the Institute of Energy Economics, Japan (IEEJ). Next to speak was someone from industry: Takashi Mats...more

On November 11, a symposium was held at the University of Tokyo’s Hongo Campus to deepen the understanding of international activities carried out by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in cooperation with developing countries under the Regional Cooperative Agreement for Research, Development and Training Related to Nuclear Science and Technology (RCA). Some 140 people participated in the symposium this time. Under the RCA, various cooperative activities have been carried out for developing countries in the Asia-Pacific region since 1972, involving joint research, development and the technological transfer of nuclear science and technology. Under the initiative of Dr. Takashi Nakano, honorary professor of Gunma University and chairman of the Japanese nonprofit Organizatio...more

As a result, as of November 14, radioactive materials inspection certificates will no longer be required for the following: ・All food items produced in Iwate, Tochigi and Chiba Prefectures. ・Soybeans from Fukushima Prefectures. ・Aquatic products from Miyagi, Ibaraki and Gunma Prefectures ・Mushrooms from Nagano, Ibaraki and Niigata Prefectures. At a press conference on October 30, Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga welcomed the decision, saying, “The Japanese government will make a concerted effort toward the full elimination of restrictions on Japanese food imports that have continued since the massive earthquake.” European Commission (EC) President Jean-Claude Juncker had voiced the prospect of easing restrictions on imports at an EU-Japan summit meeting during the...more

The report concludes that the required three-percent capacity reserve margin will be achieved for a stable supply of electricity nationwide, based on electricity supply plans submitted by all the country’s electric power utilities. It also assumes the most severe weather conditions occurring during the past decade will recur, and that some part of the country’s power sources will be unexpectedly suspended at some point. In Hokkaido, electricity demand normally reaches its peak in winter, because of the cold. Given the experience of the giant earthquake that struck the island on September 6, 2018, however, a capacity reserve margin of three percent or higher will be secured, even if a major power supply source of 1,540MW or so is lost. Nationally, the total expected power source avail...more