23 January, 2020
Finishing Mission in Japan, IAEA’s IRRS Points Out Importance of NRA’s Communicating with Nuclear Industry
On January 21, an eight-day scheduled mission to Japan was concluded by the Integrated Regulatory Review Service (IRRS), a team of experts sent by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Team leader Ramsey Jamal, vice president of the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC), held a press conference on the same day with Chairman Toyoshi Fuketa of Japan’s Nuclear Regulation Authority (NRA).
The IRRS mission this time was a follow-up to review Japan’s responses to the recommendations and suggestions (thirteen each) made by the original mission in January 2016. According to IAEA guidelines, a follow-up mission must be implemented some two to four years after the initial main mission has been completed. The final report of the follow-up mission will be released in three months or so.
Along with the recommendations and suggestions mentioned above, IAEA’s previous mission to Japan four years ago cited the country for two good practices. In response, the NRA formulated measures to deal with relevant issues, and has been working on responsive activities, including reviewing its inspection system and revising various regulations related to reinforcing the regulation of radiation s...more
- 16 January, 2020 Japan’s Nuclear Power Plant Capacity Factor Stood at Just 21.4 Percent Last Year
- 26 December, 2019 IEEJ’s Supply-Demand Outlook for FY2020 Looks at Effect of Specific Safety Facility Installation Deadlines
- 25 December, 2019 ANRE Committee Clarifies Options for Treated Contaminated Water at Fukushima Daiichi NPPs, Viewing Both Offshore and Vapor Release Favorably
- 24 December, 2019 Fuel Removal from Fukushima Daiichi-1 NPP: Large Cover to be Installed First
- 18 December, 2019 JAEC Begins Hearing from University Personnel on Human Resource Development, Starting with Nagoya and Osaka Universities
- 13 December, 2019 NRA Approves Decommissioning Plans for Kansai EP’s Ohi-1 and-2
- 12 December, 2019 JAEA Holds International Forum on Peaceful Use of Nuclear Energy, Nuclear Non-Proliferation and Nuclear Security
- 29 November, 2019 NRA Issues Draft Review Report: Onagawa-2 Meets New Regulatory Standards
- 28 November, 2019 RIKEN Unveils Transportable Compact Neutron Source System
- 27 November, 2019 JAIF Releases Results of Fact-Finding Survey of Japanese Nuclear Industry for Fiscal 2018
- 26 November, 2019 Hitachi Receives Order from Mayo Clinic to Build First Carbon Ion Treatment System in North America
- 25 November, 2019 Keidanren: Japan’s Commitment to Low-Carbon Society Shows NPP Restarts Helped Reduce CO2 Emissions in Fiscal 2018
- 21 November, 2019 TEPCO Announces Timeline for Storage and Disposal of Treated Contaminated Water at Fukushima Daiichi
21 January, 2020
Evacuation Orders for Futaba, Okuma, Tomioka Towns to Be Partially Lifted in March, with JR Joban Line to Be Completely Reopened for Service
On January 17, the Japanese government’s Nuclear Emergency Response Headquarters decided to partially lift in March evacuation orders for Futaba, Okuma and Tomioka Towns in Fukushima Prefecture. The orders were issued in the wake of the accident at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plants (NPPs).
The chair of the headquarters, Yohei Matsumoto, state minister of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), had been meeting with local government officials, and came to an agreement with each of them at the end of December. This will be the first lifting of evacuation orders in Futaba since the restrictions were originally imposed.
In Futaba, the order for the area already designated as places “where evacuation orders will soon be lifted”—affecting 229 residents in 75 households (as of April 2019)—will be lifted on March 4.
At a symposium held in Tokyo in December, Futaba Mayor Shiro Izawa noted that ensuring employment was an issue of high priority, while working toward the target of getting residents back into their homes by the spring of this year. The town, he said, ha...more
