Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency
The Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency (NISA) (原子力安全・保安院, Genshiryoku Anzen Hoanin) was a Japanese nuclear regulatory and oversight branch of the Agency for Natural Resources and Energy under the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI). It was created in 2001 during the 2001 Central Government Reform.
Especially after the
NISA, and now NRA, main office is located in Kasumigaseki, Chiyoda, Tokyo working with the Japanese Atomic Energy Commission (JAEA) as well as providing other functions. The safety authority also has regional offices. It performs oversight for industry as requested by the Japanese government.
Criticism and reform
According to a government report to the International Atomic Energy Agency in June 2011, "NISA’s lack of independence from the trade ministry, which promotes the use of atomic power, hampered a quick response to the disaster at Tokyo Electric Power Co.’s Fukushima Dai-Ichi plant this year".
The Asahi newspaper reported that the government planned to merge the Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency with the Nuclear Safety Commission, to create a new nuclear safety agency, under the environment ministry, by April 2012.[6]
On the August 5th, 2011, then
In an attempt to clean up and to ease the media, Kaieda announced he would sack three senior nuclear policy officials: the shakeup would involve three senior officials: the head of the Energy Agency, the head of the Nuclear Industrial Safety Agency and a vice-minister at the trade and industry ministry. "We want to refresh and revitalise the ministry," Kaieda said. The three posts are under his supervision.[10]
On Friday 12 August 2011, the Japanese Cabinet decided to separate the NISA from the Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry, because the ministry was too much involved with promoting nuclear energy. The new nuclear watchdog would function directly under the Ministry of the Environment. This was done as part of efforts to review the country's current nuclear administration following the Fukushima nuclear accident. At the same time NISA will merge with the Nuclear Safety Commission, that until that moment functioned under the jurisdiction of the Cabinet Office and the Ministry of Education and Science. The Environment Ministry had been involved already in the disposal of radiation-contaminated debris around the damaged Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant. The new agency was originally to be launched in April 2012.[11]
Documents, obtained by a major Japanese newspaper,
On November 4, 2011 the Japan Nuclear Energy Safety Organization (JNES) said, that an independent committee would be formed to investigate how the inspection protocols were compiled. This commission would be selected form legal experts, known for a cautious approach to nuclear policies. The more than 5 members were asked to make a report and finish it by the end of 2011. Other facts to be looked into:
- in 2009 the Hitachi Zosen Corporation did not conduct the necessary tests on a uranium enrichment facility run by Japan Nuclear Fuel Ltd. in Rokkasho, in the prefecture Aomori.
- in 2009 and 2010 JNES failed to perform proper inspections at the Oi Nuclear Power Plant, because JNES had not found the mistakes in the inspection documents.[15]
In July 2004
A similar case of cover-up by high-ranking Japanese government officials happened in 2002, when a Russian diplomatic document in which Moscow offered to accept spent nuclear fuel from Japan, was kept secret, because in this way the reprocessing of radioactive waste at a plant in Rokkasho, Aomori Prefecture could be promoted.
At the end of the year 2011 it became clear, that Masaya Yasui, in 2004 director of the agency's Nuclear Power Policy Planning Division, had instructed his subordinate in April 2004 to conceal the data. This raised questions, because Masaya Yasui was appointed in 2011 as counselor in charge of reform of nuclear power safety regulations. On top of this Masaya Yasui was also involved with splitting off the Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency from the Economy, Trade and Industry Ministry and the re-organization of the NISA to an independent entity in April 2012. The fact that the data were deliberately concealed, obliged the ministry to re-investigate the case and to reconsider to punish the officials involved.[17]
See also
- Nuclear power in Japan
- 2011 Japanese nuclear accidents
- Japanese reaction to Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster
- Japanese nuclear incidents
References
- ^ The New York Times Japan’s Premier Seeks Support for Using Nuclear Power June 8, 2012 Retrieved on August 29, 2012
- ^ The Asahi Shimbun Outgoing NISA OKs construction of nuke reprocessing plant June 27, 2012 Retrieved on August 29, 2012
- ^ The Japan Times Diet finally discusses new nuclear regulator May 30, 2012 Retrieved on August 29, 2012
- ^ The Japan Times Nuclear watchdog to bar industry insiders July 4, 2012 Retrieved on August 29, 2012
- ^ Asashi Shimbun Japan gets a new nuclear safety body, now needs to write rules September 20, 2012 Archived September 24, 2012, at the Wayback Machine Retrieved on September 24, 2012
- ^ a b Tsuyoshi Inajima (August 3, 2011). "Japan May Create New Nuclear Watchdog by April, Asahi Reports". Bloomberg.
- ^ Satoshi Yamada, Tatsuo Nakajima and Koichi Yasuda (July 31, 2011). "Nuclear safety agency's reputation on rocks". Daily Yomuiri Online.
- ^ "Japan's leader rips nuclear regulators". The Boston Globe. August 1, 2011.
- ^ Jaif (5 August 2011) Utilities to be probed for influence peddling Archived 2011-08-13 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Guardian (5 August 2011) Japan to fire top nuclear officials over Fukushima crisis
- ^ Jaif (August 13 2011) Japan puts nuke watchdog under Environment Mininistry Archived 2011-08-18 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ NHK-world (3 November 2011) Shortcomings in nuclear safety assessment found
- ^ The Mainichi Daily News (2 November 2011) Nuclear safety body used inspection criteria drafted by nuclear fuel firm
- ^ JAIF (3 November 2011)Earthquake-report 255 Archived 2012-01-03 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ The Mainichi Daily News (5 November 2011) Nuclear safety body to form third-party committee to investigate inspection methods
- ^ Mycle, Schneider (2 January 2012). "Japanese mislead about spent fuel reprocessing costs". International Panel on Fissile Materials. Retrieved 8 January 2012.
- ^ The Mainichi Daily News (2 January 2012) Cover-up of estimated costs to dispose of radioactive waste raises serious questions
External links
- Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency – English language website
- Japan Nuclear Energy Drive Compromised by Conflicts of Interest, Jason Clenfield and Shigeru Sato, 13 December 2007, Bloomberg