Japan Institute for National Fundamentals

　　　　　The Nuclear Regulation Authority is an agency based on Article 3 of the National Government Organization Act, which has a strong authority independent from the Cabinet, with the appointment of its chairman attested by the Emperor. But I doubt if the NRA with its unshakable power is working enough.
　　　　　On November 13, the NRA told the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology that the Japan Atomic Energy Agency, which operates the “Monju” fast breeder reactor under control by the ministry, has no ability to implement security measures for the reactor appropriately and reliably. The NRA then recommended the ministry (1) to specify an entity that can safely conduct full-power operation of Monju in place of the JAEA and (2) to fundamentally rethink Monju if conditions are not met,by about half an year.

Virtual recommendation to decommission Monju
　　　　　The NRA’s recommendation has no legal binding power. But the recommendation is called a measure of last resort, amounting to a binding order. Given that no specialist group other than the JAEA can handle Monju, the NRA’s recommendation effectively asked the Ministry of Education to decommission Monju.
　　　　　Monju can supply energy over 2,500 years, being fueled by plutonium gained through reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel. Its decommissioning could make the objective of nuclear fuel reprocessing vague and lead the nuclear fuel cycle to fail. The recommendation with no legal binding power could destroy the core of Japan’s nuclear energy policy calling for completing the nuclear fuel cycle to stably continue nuclear power generation. This outcome might be the intent of NRA Chairman Shunichi Tanaka.
　　　　　In April 2013 after resigning as prime minister, Naoto Kan told the Hokkaido Shimbun newspaper that a mechanism including the NRA had been left to prevent nuclear power plants from being restarted easily even after a government change. He also said the problem of active faults and the 40-year rule (for decommissioning any power reactor in 40 years after its operation start) could be used to eliminate nuclear power plants by the mid-2030s in Japan.

LDP’s negligence
　　　　　The recommendation by NRA Chairman Tanaka selected by the then government led by Democratic Party of Japan including Mr. Kan could serve as a poison-tipped arrow released by him in the presence of harsh public opinion against Monju. May we forgive such self-righteousness? Can the NRA secure nuclear plant safety with its approach in the first place?
　　　　　Japan still maintains a nuclear safety screening process exhausted with paperwork, lagging behind any other industrial country. While Western countries have computerized documents for screening, Japan still requires documents amounting to 100,000 pages, instead of a CD-ROM, to be submitted for the safety screening of a nuclear reactor.
　　　　　In Western countries, expert groups oversee and give advices on the safety of nuclear reactors and administrative procedures. The NRA must respect opinions of these expert groups like Western countries.
　　　　　After winning back government from the DPJ, the Liberal Democratic Party approved NRA appointments at the Diet and overlooked anti-nuclear plant policy originated with Mr. Kan, driving Japan’s nuclear energy policy to the present difficulties. What is the LDP doing? The LDP is responsible as the ruling party for enhancing an expert panel for overseeing and advising the NRA to correct the NRA’s approach.

Yoshiko Sakurai is President, Japan Institute for National Fundamentals.