Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency
Encyclopedia
The is a Japanese nuclear regulatory and oversight branch of the Agency for Natural Resources and Energy
under the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry. It was created in 2001 during the 2001 Central Government Reform
. It has a main office in Kasumigaseki
, Chiyoda, Tokyo
that works with the Japanese Atomic Energy Commission
as well as providing other functions. It also has regional offices. It performs oversight for industry as requested by the Japanese government.
The Asahi newspaper has reported that the government plans 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.
On the 5th of August, the minister of Industry Banri Kaieda announced that an independent panel had started to examine the allegations that NISA repeatedly tried to influence public symposiums on the use of nuclear energy. This after the confessions of the electric power companies Chubu and Shikoku, that they both had - on instructions by NISA - lined up participants and requested that they ask prearranged questions in favor of nuclear power. The panel would also find out whether other companies might be involved in likewise dubious conduct. The task force was asked to propose a set of guidelines on to what extent the government should be involved in organizing public symposiums.
In an attempt to clean up and to ease the media, the trade and industry minister, Banri Kaieda announced it is to 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.
On Friday 12 August 2011, the Japanese Cabinet decided to separate the NISA from the Ministry of Industry. Because this ministry was too much involved with promoting nuclear energy. The new nuclear watchdog would function directly under the Ministry of 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 to be launched in April 2012.
Documents, obtained by an important Japanse newspaper, The Mainichi Daily News, after many official information requests, showed that the Japan Nuclear Energy Safety Organization (JNES) copied an inspection manual from an original provided by a supplier of fuel-rods: Global Nuclear Fuel Japan Co. This very company was subject to JNES investigations. The faulty manual was copied almost completely, even the layout was not altered, and the errors in it were missed. At first JNES deputy head of inspections Masaharu Kudo told the nwspaper: "we do receive data (from Global Nuclear Fuel), but of course we don't use it as-is. The JNES checks the data and produces its own manual as well." After two official requests the newspaper received the originals the JNES manual and the documents of Global Nuclear Fuel document, Kudo did admit that the documents were indeed identical, but he could see any problem, because JNES and the nuclear fuel firm need to consult each other about the inspection procedures. "The JNES would have no access to the necessary data without the nuclear fuel maker, so we ask them to cooperate," Kudo continued. "It wouldn't be impossible for the JNES to draw up the manuals independently, but if we tried we'd be at it all day." The inspection procedures were obtained from Global Nuclear Fuel in September 2008, and on 18 December 2009 JNES inspected the fuel that was meant for the Higashidori nuclear plant, the manual used was copied directly from the Global Nuclear Fuel documents. Furthermore, JNES staff noticed later that the minimum fuel rod length already reported to the government was 3 to 5 centimeters longer than the value listed in both the inspection manual and the Global Nuclear Fuel draft procedures. The staff had not looked into the manual, but compared the rod with another rod, before all rods were certified. In February 2009 the error in the manual was found. Just before the certification was reported to the government. Later JNES found that it had made the same mistake three times before with the inspections of fuel-rods produced by Global Nuclear Fuel. The examiners failed to notice the mistakes as they did not closely check the manual beforehand. NISA
said JNES was ordered to make the corrections needed and also to improve its screening procedures.
On 4 November 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 ro make a report and finish it by the end of year 2011.
Other facts to be looked into:
Agency for Natural Resources and Energy
The Agency for Natural Resources and Energy is an agency of Japan' Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry and is responsible for Japan's policies in regard to energy and natural resources....
under the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry. It was created in 2001 during the 2001 Central Government Reform
2001 Central Government Reform
The by the Japanese government involved the establishment of a new ministry, the merging of existing ministries and the abolition of others. This resulted in little more than a change of ministry names .-External links:*...
. It has a main office in Kasumigaseki
Kasumigaseki
Kasumigaseki is a district in Chiyoda Ward in Tokyo, Japan. It is the location of most of Japan's cabinet ministry offices...
, Chiyoda, Tokyo
Chiyoda, Tokyo
is one of the 23 special wards in central Tokyo, Japan. In English, it is called Chiyoda ward. As of October 2007, the ward has an estimated population of 45,543 and a population density of 3,912 people per km², making it by far the least populated of the special wards...
that works with the Japanese Atomic Energy Commission
Japanese Atomic Energy Commission
The was established in 1956 and serves as the regulatory body for nuclear power in Japan. The Atomic Energy Basic Law contained a provision for its creation, and shortly after the law was enacted, the organization started activities, which are stated to be: assure that research and use of nuclear...
as well as providing other functions. It 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". Following the Fukushima nuclear disaster, there have been questions raised about whether the Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency has been fulfilling its function as an industry regulator, and whether it should continue to exist.The Asahi newspaper has reported that the government plans 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.
On the 5th of August, the minister of Industry Banri Kaieda announced that an independent panel had started to examine the allegations that NISA repeatedly tried to influence public symposiums on the use of nuclear energy. This after the confessions of the electric power companies Chubu and Shikoku, that they both had - on instructions by NISA - lined up participants and requested that they ask prearranged questions in favor of nuclear power. The panel would also find out whether other companies might be involved in likewise dubious conduct. The task force was asked to propose a set of guidelines on to what extent the government should be involved in organizing public symposiums.
In an attempt to clean up and to ease the media, the trade and industry minister, Banri Kaieda announced it is to 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.
On Friday 12 August 2011, the Japanese Cabinet decided to separate the NISA from the Ministry of Industry. Because this ministry was too much involved with promoting nuclear energy. The new nuclear watchdog would function directly under the Ministry of 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 to be launched in April 2012.
Documents, obtained by an important Japanse newspaper, The Mainichi Daily News, after many official information requests, showed that the Japan Nuclear Energy Safety Organization (JNES) copied an inspection manual from an original provided by a supplier of fuel-rods: Global Nuclear Fuel Japan Co. This very company was subject to JNES investigations. The faulty manual was copied almost completely, even the layout was not altered, and the errors in it were missed. At first JNES deputy head of inspections Masaharu Kudo told the nwspaper: "we do receive data (from Global Nuclear Fuel), but of course we don't use it as-is. The JNES checks the data and produces its own manual as well." After two official requests the newspaper received the originals the JNES manual and the documents of Global Nuclear Fuel document, Kudo did admit that the documents were indeed identical, but he could see any problem, because JNES and the nuclear fuel firm need to consult each other about the inspection procedures. "The JNES would have no access to the necessary data without the nuclear fuel maker, so we ask them to cooperate," Kudo continued. "It wouldn't be impossible for the JNES to draw up the manuals independently, but if we tried we'd be at it all day." The inspection procedures were obtained from Global Nuclear Fuel in September 2008, and on 18 December 2009 JNES inspected the fuel that was meant for the Higashidori nuclear plant, the manual used was copied directly from the Global Nuclear Fuel documents. Furthermore, JNES staff noticed later that the minimum fuel rod length already reported to the government was 3 to 5 centimeters longer than the value listed in both the inspection manual and the Global Nuclear Fuel draft procedures. The staff had not looked into the manual, but compared the rod with another rod, before all rods were certified. In February 2009 the error in the manual was found. Just before the certification was reported to the government. Later JNES found that it had made the same mistake three times before with the inspections of fuel-rods produced by Global Nuclear Fuel. The examiners failed to notice the mistakes as they did not closely check the manual beforehand. NISA
NISA
NISA may refer to:*Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency, part of the Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry*NIS America, the US subsidiary of Nippon Ichi Software...
said JNES was ordered to make the corrections needed and also to improve its screening procedures.
On 4 November 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 ro make a report and finish it by the end of year 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 AomoriAomoriAomori may refer to:* Aomori Prefecture, Japan** Aomori, Aomori, the capital of Aomori Prefecture* Aomori , a novel by Dazai Osamu* Aomori a meteorite which fell in 1984 in Tohoku, Japan...
. - 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.
See also
- Nuclear power in JapanNuclear power in JapanNuclear energy was a national strategic priority in Japan, but there has been concern about the ability of Japan's nuclear plants to withstand seismic activity...
- 2011 Japanese nuclear accidents2011 Japanese nuclear accidentsThis is a list of articles describing aspects of the nuclear shut-downs, failures, and nuclear meltdowns triggered by the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami.-Fukushima nuclear power plants:* Fukushima I Nuclear Power Plant...
- Japanese reaction to Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster
- Japanese nuclear incidentsJapanese nuclear incidentsThis is a list of Japanese atomic, nuclear and radiological accidents, incidents and disasters.-List:-See also:* Nuclear power in Japan* List of civilian nuclear accidents* List of civilian nuclear incidents* List of civilian radiation accidents...
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, BloombergBloomberg L.P.Bloomberg L.P. is an American privately held financial software, media, and data company. Bloomberg makes up one third of the $16 billion global financial data market with estimated revenue of $6.9 billion. Bloomberg L.P...