Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Plant Disaster Research Articles

Operational Performance of Electric Power Firms: Comparison between Japan and South Korea by Non-Radial Measures

This study compares the electric power sectors between Japan and South (S) Korea. Both nations have been under a global trend of deregulation. To assess their progress due to industrial change and technology development, we use Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) as an assessment tool that enables us to evaluate the level of simultaneous achievements on economic and technological measures, so assessing the degree of holistic development. DEA has been widely applied for performance assessment in the past decades. In this study, the method compares electric power firms by their operational efficiencies. To compare their achievements, it is necessary to develop a new type of DEA application for performance measurement. The proposed approach adds two analytical capabilities. First, the approach needs to handle “zero” in a data set and then restrict multipliers (i.e., weights among inputs and outputs) without any prior information to increase our empirical reliability. No study has simultaneously explored the two capabilities in DEA. Using the proposed method, our empirical study identifies two findings. One of the two is that the electric power industry of S. Korea outperformed that of the Japanese industry in the observed periods (2014–2018) because the Japanese power sector still suffered from an occurrence of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant disaster which occurred on 1 March 2011. However, the difference has been gradually diminishing because the Japanese electricity industry has been gradually recovering from the huge disaster. The other is that the S. Korean power industry has been in a descending trend because the nation has shown technical regress as a result of inconsistent technology development (e.g., shifting its R&D: Research and Development) focus from electrical engineering to chemistry). The former R&D area is essential in maintaining the technical level of S. Korea′s electric power industry.

The trajectories of local food avoidance after the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant disaster: A five-year prospective cohort study

After the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant accident in Japan, residents continue to be concerned about radiations despite strict regulations on radionuclides in foods and decontamination. We examined the trajectory of the avoidance tendency of local food among residents in the affected area. Growth mixture modelling was adapted to ten waves cohort of parents of all elementary school children (N = 1606) in the affected area (Minami soma city). The trajectory was examined for six types of food: mushrooms, milk, vegetables/fruits, meat, fish, and rice. A three-class trajectory model (Low concern adaptors, High concern adaptors, High concern maintainers) was identified regardless of the types of food. While about half of the sample was classified as high concern maintainers regarding rice, fish, and mushrooms, the proportions of the three groups were roughly equal regarding other types of food. Local food avoidance has prominently decreased five years after the accident. Multinomial logistic regression revealed that the higher the air dose rate at the place of residence at the time of the accident, the higher the probability of belonging to the high concern adaptors rather than to the low concern adaptors. Local food avoidance, which increased after the nuclear accident, decreased substantially with the lifting of evacuation orders. As local food avoidance trajectories are associated with air doses rate in the immediate post-accident residence, risk communication concerning the residence's air dose is needed.

Glycated hemoglobin levels among workers who remained in the area evacuated after the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Plant disaster

Glycated hemoglobin levels among workers who remained in the area evacuated after the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Plant disaster

Analysis of the Regionality of the Number of Tweets Related to the 2011 Fukushima Nuclear Power Station Disaster: Content Analysis.

BackgroundThe Great East Japan Earthquake on March 11, 2011, triggered a huge tsunami, causing the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster. Radioactive substances were carried in all directions, along with the risks of radioactive contamination. Mass media companies, such as television stations and news websites, extensively reported on radiological information related to the disaster. Upon digesting the available radiological information, many citizens turned to social media, such as Twitter and Facebook, to express their opinions and feelings. Thus, the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster also changed the social media landscape in Japan. However, few studies have explored how the people in Japan who received information on radiation propagated the information.ObjectiveThis study aimed to reveal how the number of tweets by citizens containing radiological information changed regionally on Twitter.MethodsThe research used about 19 million tweets that included the terms “radiation,” “radioactivity,” and “radioactive substance” posted for 1 year after the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster. Nearly 45,000 tweets were extracted based on their inclusion of geographic information (latitude and longitude). The number of monthly tweets in 4 districts (Fukushima Prefecture, prefectures around Fukushima Prefecture, within the Tokyo Electric Power Company area, and others) were analyzed.ResultsThe number of tweets containing the keywords per 100,000 people at the time of the casualty outbreak was 7.05 per month in Fukushima Prefecture, 2.07 per month in prefectures around Fukushima Prefecture, 5.23 per month in the area within Tokyo Electric Power Company, and 1.35 per month in others. The number of tweets per 100,000 people more than doubled in Fukushima Prefecture 2 months after the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster, whereas the number decreased to around 0.7~0.8 tweets in other districts.ConclusionsThe number of tweets per 100,000 people became half of that on March 2011 3 or 4 months after the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Plant disaster in 3 districts except district 1 (Fukushima Prefecture); the number became a half in Fukushima Prefecture half a year later.

Perspectives on Energy and Environment Risks with Implications for Canadian Energy Development

Abstract Risk has become a central concern for businesses, regulators and communities. At one level, risk is about numbers and information. But at another level, risk is about narratives and meanings. In this paper, we describe four risk perspectives: technical, economic, perceptual, and cultural. Technical and economic perspectives inform techno-economic approaches to risk, whereas perceptual and cultural perspectives inform socio-cultural approaches to risk. We argue that understanding energy and environmental risks requires consideration of information and meaning, and numbers and narratives. We illustrate these perspectives with a brief case study of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant disaster and consider Canadian energy development debates. The discussion suggests that risks within and across societies—whether at a given point in time, or dynamically over time—can be more fully explained by going beyond techno-economic conceptualizations of risk through consideration of socio-cultural issues.

Electric power market reform in Japan after Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant disaster

Purpose The purpose of this study is to review the current status and related issues on the market reform of Japanese electric power industry after Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant disaster. We also discuss the future policy direction for the market reform. Design/methodology/approach This research compares the reform process of Japanese electric power industry with that of European Union (EU) nations. Then, this study discusses policy issues on the Japanese market reform based upon our comparative analysis. Findings Japan may learn many things from the market liberalization process and institution of EU nations. In the learning process, it is necessary to pay attention to industrial differences between Japan and the EU nations. Each country has its own unique features on fuel mix, business environment as well as supply and demand relationship. Such differences may influence a desirable policy direction for each nation’s market reform. The international comparison discussed in this study indicates the importance of a step-by-step approach in which Japan can gradually incorporate European experiences into the Japanese market reform. Research limitations/implications Since this study focuses upon the Japanese market reform, the empirical findings may have limited policy implications. The implications obtained from Japanese experience need additional thought in shifting them to other nations. Such an extension will be an important future task of this study. Originality/value This study discusses the current policy issues and future direction on the Japanese electricity market reform. This study also suggests its future direction. Previous research has never discussed the Japanese experience. Policy makers, corporate leaders, and individuals in the world, who are involved in the energy industry, have been paying attention to the Japanese future energy direction after Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant disaster. This study provides such a future energy direction on Japanese market reform from European experience.

Perspectives on Risk: From Techno-Economic Calculations to Socio-Cultural Meanings

Risk has become a central concern for businesses, regulators and communities. At one level, risk is about numbers and information. But at another level, risk is about narratives and meanings. In this paper, we describe four risk perspectives: technical, economic, perceptual, and cultural. Technical and economic perspectives inform techno-economic approaches to risk, whereas perceptual and cultural perspectives inform socio-cultural approaches to risk. We argue that understanding energy and environmental risks requires consideration of information and meaning, and numbers and narratives. We illustrate these perspectives with a brief case study of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant disaster and consider Canadian energy development debates. The discussion suggests that risks within and across societies — whether at a given point in time, or dynamically over time — can be more fully explained by going beyond techno-economic conceptualizations of risk through consideration of socio-cultural issues.

Reduction of high levels of internal radio-contamination by dietary intervention in residents of areas affected by the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant disaster: a case series.

Maintaining low levels of chronic internal contamination among residents in radiation-contaminated areas after a nuclear disaster is a great public health concern. However, the efficacy of reduction measures for individual internal contamination remains unknown. To reduce high levels of internal radiation exposure in a group of individuals exposed through environmental sources, we performed careful dietary intervention with identification of suspected contaminated foods, as part of mass voluntary radiation contamination screenings and counseling program in Minamisoma Municipal General Hospital and Hirata Central Hospital. From a total of 30,622 study participants, only 9 residents displayed internal cesium-137 (Cs-137) levels of more than 50 Bq/kg. The median level of internal Cs-137 contamination in these residents at the initial screening was 4,830 Bq/body (range: 2,130–15,918 Bq/body) and 69.6 Bq/kg (range: 50.7–216.3 Bq/kg). All these residents with high levels of internal contamination consumed homegrown produce without radiation inspection, and often collected mushrooms in the wild or cultivated them on bed-logs in their homes. They were advised to consume distributed food mainly and to refrain from consuming potentially contaminated foods without radiation inspection and local produces under shipment restrictions such as mushrooms, mountain vegetables, and meat of wild life. A few months after the intervention, re-examination of Cs levels revealed remarkable reduction of internal contamination in all residents. Although the levels of internal radiation exposure appear to be minimal amongst most residents in Fukushima, a subset of the population, who unknowingly consumed highly contaminated foodstuffs, experienced high levels of internal contamination. There seem to be similarities in dietary preferences amongst residents with high internal contamination levels, and intervention based on pre- and post-test counseling and dietary advice from medical care providers about risky food intake appears to be a feasible option for changing residents' dietary practices, subsequently resulting in a reduction in Cs internal contamination levels.

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder after the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Plant Disaster in Patients with Cardiovascular Diseases -The CHART-2 Study-

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder after the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Plant Disaster in Patients with Cardiovascular Diseases -The CHART-2 Study-