Statement by Ambassador Mitsuru Kitano at the Board of Governors Meeting starting on 7 March 2016 Item 2: Strengthening the Agency’s activities related to nuclear, radiation, transport and waste safety : Nuclear Safety Review 2016
2016/3/7
Thank you, Mr. Chairman,
March 11th will mark five years since the Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami and the accident at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station. Japan highly appreciates the Agency’s activities since the accident, and I take this opportunity to reiterate our gratitude to the Agency and the international community for its continued cooperation with Japan. In this regard, Japan will host the “International Forum on Decommissioning of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station” in the Fukushima Prefecture in April, in cooperation with the IAEA. Japan recognizes that continuous efforts to deal with many challenges are required to further strengthen nuclear safety. We will continue to contribute to that end by sharing information related to measures for decommissioning and dealing with contaminated water following the accident with the Member States in a transparent manner.
The Nuclear Safety Review 2016 is a valuable document which gives a clear overview of the activities of the Agency and the international community in 2015 in the field of nuclear safety as well as future challenges and steps.
With regard to this report, I would like to make some remarks on the situation of nuclear safety in Japan.
【Current Status of Fukushima Daiichi NPS】
Mr. Chairman,
The ongoing work on decommissioning and dealing with contaminated water at Fukushima Daiichi Station are steadily making progress. In particular, measures for preventing groundwater from entering the reactor buildings and for reducing the risk of groundwater with radioactive material flowing into the ocean has made good progress. Japan has also continuously received the IAEA marine monitoring mission, and the summary outcome of the latest mission for fish products conducted in last November was released on 4 March.
In this context, providing information on the current status for decommissioning and dealing with contaminated water at Fukushima Daiichi Station is one of the most important undertakings for Japan. In this regard, Japan has provided updated information on the current situation at the Fukushima Daiichi Station in a comprehensive and timely manner to the IAEA Secretariat, which has subsequently uploaded the information on the IAEA website with its comments. The latest information has just been updated on 4 March.
【Restarting of Nuclear Power Plants】
Mr. Chairman,
In 2015, Sendai Nuclear Power Station Unit 1 and 2 have restarted These Units have been confirmed by the Nuclear Regulation Authority (NRA) to conform to its new regulatory requirement based on the Fukushima Daiichi accident. Furthermore Takahama Nuclear Power Station Unit 3 has also restarted in January of this year.
Keeping fully in mind that nuclear safety always comes first, Japan is to restart further nuclear power plants, when such plants are confirmed by the NRA to conform to its requirements
【OSART and IRRS Mission to Japan】
Mr. Chairman,
It is important that Member States cooperate with the IAEA in a continuous and coordinated manner for further strengthening nuclear safety. In this regard, we received the OSART mission at Kashiwazaki-Kariwa Station in June last year. We also received the first IRRS mission in January since the Fukushima Daiichi accident. Japan highly appreciates the Agency’s and Member States’ effort for these missions. We recognize that a final report for the IRRS mission will be provided by the IAEA three months after the completion of the mission in January. We will continue to further improve our nuclear regulatory framework based on recommendations of the final report. Taking this opportunity, I also would like to encourage other Member States to receive IAEA missions when introducing nuclear power programmes, in order to enhance nuclear safety worldwide.
【Transport of Radioactive Materials】
Mr. Chairman,
I would like to add that Japan would like to continue its effort to enhance a dialogue between shipping states and coastal states on the transport of radioactive materials as the current chair of this dialogue.
With these comments, my delegation wishes to take note of the documents contained in GOV/2016/2 and Corrigenda.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
March 11th will mark five years since the Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami and the accident at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station. Japan highly appreciates the Agency’s activities since the accident, and I take this opportunity to reiterate our gratitude to the Agency and the international community for its continued cooperation with Japan. In this regard, Japan will host the “International Forum on Decommissioning of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station” in the Fukushima Prefecture in April, in cooperation with the IAEA. Japan recognizes that continuous efforts to deal with many challenges are required to further strengthen nuclear safety. We will continue to contribute to that end by sharing information related to measures for decommissioning and dealing with contaminated water following the accident with the Member States in a transparent manner.
The Nuclear Safety Review 2016 is a valuable document which gives a clear overview of the activities of the Agency and the international community in 2015 in the field of nuclear safety as well as future challenges and steps.
With regard to this report, I would like to make some remarks on the situation of nuclear safety in Japan.
【Current Status of Fukushima Daiichi NPS】
Mr. Chairman,
The ongoing work on decommissioning and dealing with contaminated water at Fukushima Daiichi Station are steadily making progress. In particular, measures for preventing groundwater from entering the reactor buildings and for reducing the risk of groundwater with radioactive material flowing into the ocean has made good progress. Japan has also continuously received the IAEA marine monitoring mission, and the summary outcome of the latest mission for fish products conducted in last November was released on 4 March.
In this context, providing information on the current status for decommissioning and dealing with contaminated water at Fukushima Daiichi Station is one of the most important undertakings for Japan. In this regard, Japan has provided updated information on the current situation at the Fukushima Daiichi Station in a comprehensive and timely manner to the IAEA Secretariat, which has subsequently uploaded the information on the IAEA website with its comments. The latest information has just been updated on 4 March.
【Restarting of Nuclear Power Plants】
Mr. Chairman,
In 2015, Sendai Nuclear Power Station Unit 1 and 2 have restarted These Units have been confirmed by the Nuclear Regulation Authority (NRA) to conform to its new regulatory requirement based on the Fukushima Daiichi accident. Furthermore Takahama Nuclear Power Station Unit 3 has also restarted in January of this year.
Keeping fully in mind that nuclear safety always comes first, Japan is to restart further nuclear power plants, when such plants are confirmed by the NRA to conform to its requirements
【OSART and IRRS Mission to Japan】
Mr. Chairman,
It is important that Member States cooperate with the IAEA in a continuous and coordinated manner for further strengthening nuclear safety. In this regard, we received the OSART mission at Kashiwazaki-Kariwa Station in June last year. We also received the first IRRS mission in January since the Fukushima Daiichi accident. Japan highly appreciates the Agency’s and Member States’ effort for these missions. We recognize that a final report for the IRRS mission will be provided by the IAEA three months after the completion of the mission in January. We will continue to further improve our nuclear regulatory framework based on recommendations of the final report. Taking this opportunity, I also would like to encourage other Member States to receive IAEA missions when introducing nuclear power programmes, in order to enhance nuclear safety worldwide.
【Transport of Radioactive Materials】
Mr. Chairman,
I would like to add that Japan would like to continue its effort to enhance a dialogue between shipping states and coastal states on the transport of radioactive materials as the current chair of this dialogue.
With these comments, my delegation wishes to take note of the documents contained in GOV/2016/2 and Corrigenda.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
The Practical Export Control Workshop was hosted by the Wassenaar Arrangement as part of its 20th Anniversary programs and held at the Permanent Mission of Japan to the International Organizations in Vienna on 27 and 28 June 2016. More than 100 government representatives from 46 countries participated in the technically focused Practical Workshop.
Workshop speakers included the 2016 WA Plenary Chair Ambassador Anu Laamanen (Finland), 2016 WA General Working Group Chair Ambassador Paul Beijer (Sweden), 2015-2016 WA Experts Group Chair Robertas Rosinas (Lithuania), 2016 WA Licensing and Enforcement Officers Meeting Chair Jon Erik Strömö (Norway), as well as the Head of the WA Secretariat, Ambassador Philip Griffiths. The WA control lists as well as export licensing and enforcement topics were covered during the two days.
The following link from WA’s webpage contains more details:
http://www.wassenaar.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/June-2016-Workshop-media-release.pdf
Workshop speakers included the 2016 WA Plenary Chair Ambassador Anu Laamanen (Finland), 2016 WA General Working Group Chair Ambassador Paul Beijer (Sweden), 2015-2016 WA Experts Group Chair Robertas Rosinas (Lithuania), 2016 WA Licensing and Enforcement Officers Meeting Chair Jon Erik Strömö (Norway), as well as the Head of the WA Secretariat, Ambassador Philip Griffiths. The WA control lists as well as export licensing and enforcement topics were covered during the two days.
The following link from WA’s webpage contains more details:
http://www.wassenaar.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/June-2016-Workshop-media-release.pdf