nuclear-news

Japan still does not have a new, independent, nuclear regulator

Neglect of nuclear regulation http://www.japantimes.co.jp/text/ed20120423a1.html  23 April 12, The Nuclear Regulatory Agency was originally scheduled to be set up on April 1. Although the Noda Cabinet endorsed a bill to establish the agency on Jan. 31 and send it to the Diet that day, the Diet has yet to start deliberating on it. The legislature should be strongly
censured for its neglect. The crisis at Tokyo Electric Power Co.’s
Fukushima No. 1 nuclear plant has underlined the irresponsible nature
of Japan’s nuclear regulatory administration. In the Fukushima crisis,
the plant’s Nos. 1, 2 and 3 reactors suffered meltdowns. Symbolic is
the fact that the Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency (NISA) is part
of the trade and industry ministry, which is a promoter of nuclear
power.

Under the bill, NISA and the Nuclear Safety Commission would be
reorganized into the Nuclear Regulatory Agency to be established as an
extra-ministerial bureau of the Environment Agency. The environment
minister would appoint the planned agency’s head and entrust the power
to carry out regulatory work to the him or her. The government should
strive to hire knowledgeable and conscientious people for the agency’s
485 posts.

The Diet could not quickly start deliberations on the bill because the
ruling and opposition blocs were unable to agree on the question of
which Diet committee should handle it. It is highly regrettable that
they lost precious time arguing over this.

Once they start deliberations on the bill, the ruling and opposition
parties should sufficiently discuss the bill so that Japan will have
an effective mechanism to control nuclear power plants and enhance
their safety, repelling any attempt by the nuclear power establishment
to interfere with or weaken efforts to improve nuclear power safety.
o strengthen the independence of nuclear regulatory authorities, the
Liberal Democratic Party and Komeito have submitted to the Diet a
proposal to establish a five-member Nuclear Regulatory Commission
overseeing some 500 personnel, with the Diet’s approval required for
the appointment of the commission head and members.

If necessary, the government and the ruling Democratic Party of Japan
should be ready to agree to modify the bill to strengthen the
independence of the planned nuclear regulatory authorities and to
ensure the transparency of all decision-making processes. To help gain
the public’s trust, they should also be required to make public the
minutes of their meetings.

April 23, 2012 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | Japan, politics