Japan to overhaul nuclear safety laws
Source: Agencies |
June 8, 2011, Wednesday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
JAPAN yesterday pledged to overhaul regulation of nuclear power, saying that lax standards and poor oversight had contributed to the worst nuclear accident since Chernobyl in 1986.
Japanese officials, including embattled Prime Minister Naoto Kan, have been widely criticized for their handling of the nuclear disaster, triggered by a March 11 quake and tsunami, which has prompted a complete rethink on the future of nuclear energy in the quake-prone country.
The government report, which will be presented to the International Atomic Energy Agency, promised to set up an independent nuclear regulatory agency, breaking the long-criticized ties between the Japanese utility industry and officials overseeing its safety.
"What's most important for Japan to rebuild its trust is to transparently communicate to the international community about this accident," Kan told cabinet ministers.
As an immediate step, Japan's Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency announced new safety measures that utilities will have to show by this month how they will be enforced, officials said. Currently, Japan is running only 19 of 54 reactors in operation before the disaster at the Fukushima Dai-ichi plant, raising the risk of deep power shortages into 2012.
Local government officials have been waiting for new safety standards to be introduced and implemented before approving a restart of the remaining reactors.
In a draft report earlier this month, the IAEA said Japanese officials had underestimated the threat from tsunamis to coastal nuclear plants.
The IAEA report had urged Japan to reform its system of nuclear regulation so that the agency overseeing nuclear safety is independent of the ministry charged with promoting it.
Japan will present its report to the Vienna-based UN watchdog later this month.
Japanese officials, including embattled Prime Minister Naoto Kan, have been widely criticized for their handling of the nuclear disaster, triggered by a March 11 quake and tsunami, which has prompted a complete rethink on the future of nuclear energy in the quake-prone country.
The government report, which will be presented to the International Atomic Energy Agency, promised to set up an independent nuclear regulatory agency, breaking the long-criticized ties between the Japanese utility industry and officials overseeing its safety.
"What's most important for Japan to rebuild its trust is to transparently communicate to the international community about this accident," Kan told cabinet ministers.
As an immediate step, Japan's Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency announced new safety measures that utilities will have to show by this month how they will be enforced, officials said. Currently, Japan is running only 19 of 54 reactors in operation before the disaster at the Fukushima Dai-ichi plant, raising the risk of deep power shortages into 2012.
Local government officials have been waiting for new safety standards to be introduced and implemented before approving a restart of the remaining reactors.
In a draft report earlier this month, the IAEA said Japanese officials had underestimated the threat from tsunamis to coastal nuclear plants.
The IAEA report had urged Japan to reform its system of nuclear regulation so that the agency overseeing nuclear safety is independent of the ministry charged with promoting it.
Japan will present its report to the Vienna-based UN watchdog later this month.
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