Statement by Ambassador HIKIHARA Takeshi at the IAEA Board of Governors Meeting starting on Monday, 6 March 2023 Item 2: Nuclear Safety Review 2023
2023/3/6
Thank you, Chair,
Let me first join previous speakers to express our most sincere condolences to the victims and survivors of the devastating earthquakes which hit Türkiye and Syria last month. Japan commends the Agency’s agile response to alleviate the suffering of those people affected by improving the dire medical situation there, to which Japan had made our contribution.
Chair,
Japan thanks the Secretariat for preparing the “Nuclear Safety Review 2023”, which describes the Agency’s wide-ranging activities to enhance nuclear safety for Member States. These activities are critically important in the peaceful uses of nuclear energy. Japan commends Director General Grossi, Deputy Director General Evrard and her team for their tireless efforts.
Chair,
Japan continues to attach significance to the Convention on Nuclear Safety, as well as the Joint Convention. We will participate proactively in discussions at the Joint Eighth and Ninth Review Meetings of the Contracting Parties to the Convention on Nuclear Safety which will be held in two weeks.
Japan also assigns great importance to IAEA Safety Standards, and appreciates the work of the Secretariat and all experts from Member States, including Japan, in establishing and revising the Safety Standards.
We welcome the outcome of the Fifth International Conference on Nuclear Power Plant Life Management held in Vienna from November to December 2022. Japan had the pleasure to help organize this event in cooperation with the Agency. Japan has also been supporting, financially and otherwise, the Regulatory Cooperation Forum and the Asian Nuclear Safety Network to develop and strengthen a nuclear regulatory framework for embarking countries.
Japan remains committed to contributing to the enhancement of global nuclear safety, while further improving our own nuclear regulatory framework.
Chair,
Japan remains gravely concerned about the nuclear safety and security risks in Ukraine caused by Russia’s aggression, with the seven indispensable pillars for maintaining nuclear safety and security being compromised.
Japan strongly urges the Russian Federation to immediately cease all activities preventing the competent Ukrainian Authorities from fully controlling over all nuclear facilities and material within its internationally recognized borders, and to restore safe and secure operations by Ukraine.
Japan firmly supports the IAEA’s efforts to provide technical support and assistance for the safety and security of Ukraine’s nuclear facilities, including the continued presence of the IAEA Support and Assistance Missions.
Japan recently decided to provide an additional contribution towards the IAEA's works related to Ukraine, bringing our total contribution to approximately 10 million euros.
Japan will continue to strongly support DG Grossi’s all efforts as he described in his report this morning to protect nuclear safety and security in Ukraine, including at the Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant, in a manner that respects full Ukrainian sovereignty over its internationally recognised territory.
Chair,
Regarding TEPCO’s Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station, Japan appreciates the IAEA’s continuous efforts to independently monitor and review the process related to the discharge of ALPS treated water based on the IAEA Safety Standards.
Since I reported updates at the last Board meeting in November, substantial progress has been made. On 29 December, the Agency released its third report, which set out how the Agency is conducting its own independent checks of key data related to the monitoring of the safety of the ALPS treated water.
In January, the IAEA Task Force, including internationally recognized experts, visited Japan for the second regulatory review. In addition, the IAEA’s independent analysis of the samples is underway.
We appreciate the Informal Technical Briefing by the Secretariat on the IAEA’s review held here in Vienna on 25 January. This Briefing provided Member States with a very clear picture and clarification regarding the IAEA’s review.
The IAEA’s independent review will continue. The Government of Japan will carefully consider the findings and observations from the review, and address them appropriately. Japan will continue to provide updated information to the international community based on scientific evidence in a transparent manner.
With these comments, Japan takes note of the report contained in GOV/2023/2 and its corrigendum.
Thank you, Chair.
Let me first join previous speakers to express our most sincere condolences to the victims and survivors of the devastating earthquakes which hit Türkiye and Syria last month. Japan commends the Agency’s agile response to alleviate the suffering of those people affected by improving the dire medical situation there, to which Japan had made our contribution.
Chair,
Japan thanks the Secretariat for preparing the “Nuclear Safety Review 2023”, which describes the Agency’s wide-ranging activities to enhance nuclear safety for Member States. These activities are critically important in the peaceful uses of nuclear energy. Japan commends Director General Grossi, Deputy Director General Evrard and her team for their tireless efforts.
Chair,
Japan continues to attach significance to the Convention on Nuclear Safety, as well as the Joint Convention. We will participate proactively in discussions at the Joint Eighth and Ninth Review Meetings of the Contracting Parties to the Convention on Nuclear Safety which will be held in two weeks.
Japan also assigns great importance to IAEA Safety Standards, and appreciates the work of the Secretariat and all experts from Member States, including Japan, in establishing and revising the Safety Standards.
We welcome the outcome of the Fifth International Conference on Nuclear Power Plant Life Management held in Vienna from November to December 2022. Japan had the pleasure to help organize this event in cooperation with the Agency. Japan has also been supporting, financially and otherwise, the Regulatory Cooperation Forum and the Asian Nuclear Safety Network to develop and strengthen a nuclear regulatory framework for embarking countries.
Japan remains committed to contributing to the enhancement of global nuclear safety, while further improving our own nuclear regulatory framework.
Chair,
Japan remains gravely concerned about the nuclear safety and security risks in Ukraine caused by Russia’s aggression, with the seven indispensable pillars for maintaining nuclear safety and security being compromised.
Japan strongly urges the Russian Federation to immediately cease all activities preventing the competent Ukrainian Authorities from fully controlling over all nuclear facilities and material within its internationally recognized borders, and to restore safe and secure operations by Ukraine.
Japan firmly supports the IAEA’s efforts to provide technical support and assistance for the safety and security of Ukraine’s nuclear facilities, including the continued presence of the IAEA Support and Assistance Missions.
Japan recently decided to provide an additional contribution towards the IAEA's works related to Ukraine, bringing our total contribution to approximately 10 million euros.
Japan will continue to strongly support DG Grossi’s all efforts as he described in his report this morning to protect nuclear safety and security in Ukraine, including at the Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant, in a manner that respects full Ukrainian sovereignty over its internationally recognised territory.
Chair,
Regarding TEPCO’s Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station, Japan appreciates the IAEA’s continuous efforts to independently monitor and review the process related to the discharge of ALPS treated water based on the IAEA Safety Standards.
Since I reported updates at the last Board meeting in November, substantial progress has been made. On 29 December, the Agency released its third report, which set out how the Agency is conducting its own independent checks of key data related to the monitoring of the safety of the ALPS treated water.
In January, the IAEA Task Force, including internationally recognized experts, visited Japan for the second regulatory review. In addition, the IAEA’s independent analysis of the samples is underway.
We appreciate the Informal Technical Briefing by the Secretariat on the IAEA’s review held here in Vienna on 25 January. This Briefing provided Member States with a very clear picture and clarification regarding the IAEA’s review.
The IAEA’s independent review will continue. The Government of Japan will carefully consider the findings and observations from the review, and address them appropriately. Japan will continue to provide updated information to the international community based on scientific evidence in a transparent manner.
With these comments, Japan takes note of the report contained in GOV/2023/2 and its corrigendum.
Thank you, Chair.