Statement by Ambassador KAIFU Atsushi at the IAEA Board of Governors Meeting starting on Monday, 4 March 2024 Item 2: Nuclear and radiation safety: Nuclear Safety Review 2024
2024/3/4
Thank you, Chair,
Japan thanks the Secretariat for the Nuclear Safety Review 2024. The Agency’s activities described therein are critically important. Japan commends DG Grossi and DDG Evrard and her team for their tireless efforts.
Chair,
Japan attaches great importance to IAEA Safety Standards. We appreciate the work of the Secretariat and all experts from Member States, in establishing and revising them.
Japan continues to commit itself to the Convention on Nuclear Safety, the Joint Convention, and also to contributing to enhance global nuclear safety, while further improving its own nuclear regulatory framework.
Chair,
On TEPCO’s Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station (FDNPP), I would like to update the Board with the latest developments on the discharge of ALPS treated water. In doing so, I express my sincere appreciation to the work of the Agency on this important matter and to our colleagues here in the Board for your continuous support to our effort and to the Agency’s independent and impartial work.
As always, the term “contaminated water” is not appropriate. It is the ALPS treated water that Japan discharges.
Since its commencement in August last year, the discharge has been carried out safely as planned, in full compliance with international standards. Multi-layered and robust monitoring with the framework of the IAEA finds no anomalies. The level of radioactive nuclides, including tritium, in the discharged water have been far below the regulatory standards. On Thursday last week the IAEA issued its latest press release and once again confirmed this in the fourth batch of discharge.
On January 30th the Agency’s Task Force issued its first full report since the discharge began. The Task Force reaffirmed the conclusions of the Agency’s Comprehensive Report last July that the discharge will have a negligible radiological impact on people and the environment.
The two more reports of the Agency in January on its Inter-Laboratory-Comparison activities, in which corroborative participation of the analytical institutions of interested third countries are ensured, continue to prove confidence in Japan’s capability for undertaking accurate and precise measurement.
Chair,
In the previous statements, there were references to the water leak at the FDNPP. I want to make it clear that this incident is not related to the discharge of ALPS treated water, as clearly stated in the Agency’s press release. The incident was immediately addressed and reported to the Agency. No significant radioactive fluctuation has been measured at the site. Tough measures to prevent recurrence were already installed by TEPCO. The Government of Japan continues to provide proper guidance to TEPCO.
Chair,
Let me also touch upon an important aspect on what is appropriate and what is not when it comes to a “independent, long-term, international, monitoring system or arrangement.”
We all know the Agency remains committed to continue to review and monitor until the last drop of the water will be released. We all know the Agency continues to exercise its statutory mandate to establish, adopt and provide for application of the international safety standards in the field of nuclear energy. The tireless and impartial efforts of the Secretariat are ample expression of the authority and independence of the IAEA. What matters is to preserve the authority, the independence and the legitimacy of the Agency. Any move or trial of move which could undermine these principles would cause severe damages and set inappropriate precedencies to the work of the Agency.
Japan is committed to transparency based upon scientific evidence with regards to the discharge, because we believe it is the most important element to ensure understanding and sense of safety among people both in Japan and international community. The result of reviews and monitoring will be further provided in a timely and transparent manner. Japan continues to engage with various stakeholders in our region of Asia Pacific and beyond.
Chair,
From the perspective of Nuclear Safety, Japan appreciates works of DG and his team related to Ukraine. We reiterate the importance of the DG’s 7 indispensable pillars and also Japan supports the IAEA’s 5 Principles to help ensure the nuclear safety and security at Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant.
With these comments, Japan takes note of the report contained in GOV/2024/3.
Thank you, Chair.
Japan thanks the Secretariat for the Nuclear Safety Review 2024. The Agency’s activities described therein are critically important. Japan commends DG Grossi and DDG Evrard and her team for their tireless efforts.
Chair,
Japan attaches great importance to IAEA Safety Standards. We appreciate the work of the Secretariat and all experts from Member States, in establishing and revising them.
Japan continues to commit itself to the Convention on Nuclear Safety, the Joint Convention, and also to contributing to enhance global nuclear safety, while further improving its own nuclear regulatory framework.
Chair,
On TEPCO’s Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station (FDNPP), I would like to update the Board with the latest developments on the discharge of ALPS treated water. In doing so, I express my sincere appreciation to the work of the Agency on this important matter and to our colleagues here in the Board for your continuous support to our effort and to the Agency’s independent and impartial work.
As always, the term “contaminated water” is not appropriate. It is the ALPS treated water that Japan discharges.
Since its commencement in August last year, the discharge has been carried out safely as planned, in full compliance with international standards. Multi-layered and robust monitoring with the framework of the IAEA finds no anomalies. The level of radioactive nuclides, including tritium, in the discharged water have been far below the regulatory standards. On Thursday last week the IAEA issued its latest press release and once again confirmed this in the fourth batch of discharge.
On January 30th the Agency’s Task Force issued its first full report since the discharge began. The Task Force reaffirmed the conclusions of the Agency’s Comprehensive Report last July that the discharge will have a negligible radiological impact on people and the environment.
The two more reports of the Agency in January on its Inter-Laboratory-Comparison activities, in which corroborative participation of the analytical institutions of interested third countries are ensured, continue to prove confidence in Japan’s capability for undertaking accurate and precise measurement.
Chair,
In the previous statements, there were references to the water leak at the FDNPP. I want to make it clear that this incident is not related to the discharge of ALPS treated water, as clearly stated in the Agency’s press release. The incident was immediately addressed and reported to the Agency. No significant radioactive fluctuation has been measured at the site. Tough measures to prevent recurrence were already installed by TEPCO. The Government of Japan continues to provide proper guidance to TEPCO.
Chair,
Let me also touch upon an important aspect on what is appropriate and what is not when it comes to a “independent, long-term, international, monitoring system or arrangement.”
We all know the Agency remains committed to continue to review and monitor until the last drop of the water will be released. We all know the Agency continues to exercise its statutory mandate to establish, adopt and provide for application of the international safety standards in the field of nuclear energy. The tireless and impartial efforts of the Secretariat are ample expression of the authority and independence of the IAEA. What matters is to preserve the authority, the independence and the legitimacy of the Agency. Any move or trial of move which could undermine these principles would cause severe damages and set inappropriate precedencies to the work of the Agency.
Japan is committed to transparency based upon scientific evidence with regards to the discharge, because we believe it is the most important element to ensure understanding and sense of safety among people both in Japan and international community. The result of reviews and monitoring will be further provided in a timely and transparent manner. Japan continues to engage with various stakeholders in our region of Asia Pacific and beyond.
Chair,
From the perspective of Nuclear Safety, Japan appreciates works of DG and his team related to Ukraine. We reiterate the importance of the DG’s 7 indispensable pillars and also Japan supports the IAEA’s 5 Principles to help ensure the nuclear safety and security at Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant.
With these comments, Japan takes note of the report contained in GOV/2024/3.
Thank you, Chair.