Final report of 3/11 doesn't bring much

 March 8, 2014

Nuclear experts issue final Fukushima report

http://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/english/news/20140308_20.html 

A nuclear energy panel has released its final report on the March 2011 accident at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant.

The Atomic Energy Society of Japan set up the investigation committee in August 2011. It consists of about 40 experts from universities and research institutes.

In a report published on Saturday, the committee calls for enhanced measures to deal with natural disasters and serious accidents.

The report says nuclear energy experts failed to have the results of their studies reflected in measures to guard against unexpectedly serious accidents caused by natural disasters such as earthquakes and tsunami.

It also acknowledges that the Atomic Energy Society had little understanding about the role experts should play in enhancing nuclear safety. It says the organization lacked awareness of natural disasters and failed to make sufficient efforts to maintain neutrality.

The report urges the nuclear experts to realize that they would not be qualified to be involved in the atomic energy field if they cannot properly deal with severe accidents or tackle disaster prevention.

The report also includes an analysis made by the committee, based on its own computer simulation, about how the meltdown of the reactors occurred.

The report says the damage caused by the March 11 earthquake was not enough to seriously affect the safety functions of the reactors at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant. The findings contradict those of other institutions.

Observers say the panel has failed to fully investigate the disaster by making use of the Atomic Energy Society's human resources and expertise.

They also say the report, published 3 years after the Fukushima accident, sheds little new light on the disaster.

Mar. 8, 2014 - Updated 13:21 UTC