2016 Volume 12 Pages 139-148
Issues relating to nuclear safety regulations in my own research, such as regulatory capacity and public private partnership, nuclear safety regulatory regime (independence, ensuring capability of experts), role of local government, managing complex risk governance, are summarized. Then, actions taken by the Government after the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant accident were analyzed and remaining issues are identified. Strengthening the independence of nuclear regulatory body and achieving transparency of its operation were realized. Despite these efforts, the NRA (Nuclear Regulatory Authority) has been facing a challenge of human resource development, including staff capacity building and career path development, even though the size of staff of nuclear safety regulation became much larger because of the integration between NRA and NISA (Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency). In addition, one of the failures revealed by the Fukushima accident is the lack of sensitivity to the issue of seismic risks, tsunami risks. But actions related to how to develop sensitivity beyond the main jurisdiction of the regulatory authority and how to ensure interdisciplinary communication among segmented fields are not enough. Finally, restructuring the role of industry self-regulation and the roles of local governments in nuclear safety regulations still remains.
