Such missions, consisting of international experts, assess nuclear facilities in IAEA member states and provide advice based on the Agency\u2019s international standards. The mission this time concerned questions of physical protection of nuclear material at the Kashiwazaki Kariwa NPPs dating to 2020.<\/p>\n
On December 27 of last year, Japan\u2019s Nuclear Regulation Authority (NRA) lifted its \u201corder to prohibit the transport of specified nuclear materials\u201d at the NPPs by returning their regulatory response classification to Category 1. Within the mission, accepted by TEPCO, a group of experts in physical protection assessed the power company\u2019s activities to primarily improve its facilities and operations as well as its continuing efforts.<\/p>\n
During their seven-day mission, the five experts heard from various parties and visited the site. On the final day, April 2, they had a meeting with several people, including INAGAKI Takeyuki, superintendent of the NPPs, who said, \u201cWe at the NPPs take the advice of the experts seriously. We will enhance our security in line with the IAEA\u2019s international standards.\u201d<\/p>\n
One member of the team, technical officer Tapani HACK, referred to an International Physical Protection Advisory Service (IPPAS[1]<\/sup><\/a>The IAEA gives recommendations and advice to its member states on enhancing nuclear security. Japan accepted the first IPASS mission in 2015 and a follow-up mission in 2018.<\/span><\/span>