Safety rules hamper training...

April 5, 2016

Tighter rules hamper nuclear power studies

http://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20160405_27/

Nuclear energy academics in Japan say tighter rules introduced for all of the country's reactors after the Fukushima Daiichi disaster hamper their efforts to train students.

Members of the Atomic Energy Society of Japan visited the government's Atomic Energy Commission on Tuesday.

They say all 12 of Japan's research reactors at universities and other institutes have been offline due to the rules. Some of the reactors are small-output types.

The rules require all operators, including those with such reactors, to take stricter measures against earthquakes and tsunami.

University of Tokyo Professor Mitsuru Uesaka said about 1,700 students and researchers used research reactors before the 2011 accident. But he said some now have to go overseas to use nuclear facilities, or give up on their studies.

The Nuclear Regulation Authority is trying to speed up its screening process for restarting research reactors. But universities are delayed in preparing for screening due to staff and budget shortages.

The academics plan to propose that the government introduce different criteria for research reactors depending on their output.