Nuclear Power Plant In Japan Research Articles

Energy knowledge and public response to restarting nuclear plants in Japan following the fukushima accident

Since the Fukushima accident, Japan's nuclear policy has changed dramatically. However, restarting operations of some reactors has become an option for the government. This study focuses on the role of objective knowledge and, for the first time, develops statements for measuring people's accurate factual judgments and reflecting on energy issues in post-Fukushima Japan. Replies of two surveys conducted in the Kansai region were analyzed. From them, it was observed that having objective knowledge was positively associated with holding a favorable opinion rather than an ambiguous opinion toward restarting the plants, and association differences existed between subjective and objective knowledge.

Potential tourists’ response to nuclear and radiation crises from risk information to actions

ABSTRACT The release of treated wastewater from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant in Japan has sparked concerns and controversy over the potential risks associated with nuclear-affected destinations. This study uses grounded theory to elucidate the broader definition of nuclear and radiation crises, while comprehensively analysing potential tourists’ decision-making processes in the face of such risks. Focus groups and interviews were conducted in Asia with participants from various countries, revealing how potential tourists receive, process, and perceive risk information cues, make decisions, and adopt behavioural responses. This research contributes to the existing literature in an interdisciplinary manner, providing insights and recommendations for stakeholders involved in tourism and risk management.

India-Japan Civil Nuclear Deal: Challenges and Opportunities in the Indo-Pacific Region

The Indian Foreign Policy of complete Disarmament was formed by J.L. Nehru, However, when India engaged in war with China in 1962 and Pakistan in 1965 & 1971, there was neither US and nor USSR presence in support of India. India tested nuclear devices in 1974 and 1998 at Pokhran and not signed NPT-1968 and CTBT-1996 based on the biased nature of the Treaty. Japan has shown a positive attitude towards India since 2001. Indian Deal of Civil Nuclear Agreement with the US and France in 2008 and changed provisions by NSG in its Meeting held in 2008 to grant green signal to the export of Nuclear Arsenal to India. It changed Japan’s view towards India to contract of Civil Nuclear Cooperation. The Fukushima Disaster in 2011 delayed the Nuclear Pact and stopped all Nuclear Power Plants in Japan. Several Meetings concluded the Civil Nuclear Agreement between India and Japan on 11-12 November 2016

International Wrongfulness of Japan's NCW Sea Discharge

International Wrongfulness of Japan's NCW Sea Discharge

Developing a broad perspective of future work and career in medical students through field trips to a disaster area: a qualitative study

ObjectiveField trips to disaster-affected areas (FTDAs) without a specific purpose, such as medical cooperation, are widely used in medical education. However, what medical students gain from FTDAs remains unclear. The present study aimed to clarify what medical students gain from FTDAs. Five medical students who had visited the Fukushima nuclear power plant in Japan participated in a semi-structured group interview to ask what they gained from such a visit. The narratives were analysed using open coding.ResultsThe following four themes emerged: “Spirit of scientific inquiry”, “Foundation for lifelong education and personal growth”, “Broadened understanding of the medical profession”, and “Importance of practicing medicine in the community setting”. The ambiguity of medical students’ specific roles in the field trip compared to the fieldwork may have encouraged them to make sense of the experience from their perspective. As a result, students may have gained a broader perspective of their future work and career through the FTDA. If medical educators can gain consensus from the residents of a disaster site, different disaster-affected areas can be potential sites for medical education using FTDAs.

Framing Differences in Reports on Japan’s Discharge of Nuclear Wastewater: A Comparative Analysis of The New York Times and China Daily

Since Chornobyl, nuclear disasters have long overshadowed global environmental concerns. Recently, the discharge of nuclear wastewater from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant in Japan has reignited discussions on such incidents’ environmental and geopolitical implications. In the aftermath of the earthquake and tsunami 2011, the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station was severely damaged, accumulating radioactive-contaminated water used to cool the reactors. In August 2023, Japan began discharging nuclear wastewater into the Pacific Ocean, overseen by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). This paper aims to analyze and compare the reports of China Daily and The New York Times on this issue. China Daily is China’s state-owned mainstream media dedicated to reporting news to English-speaking countries, while The New York Times is one of the most influential media in the United States. Through framing theory, this paper will use different frameworks to showcase how these two media outlets try to influence people’s perception of Japan’s discharge of nuclear wastewater and the geopolitical landscape.

Impacts and challenges for Japanese nuclear operators as a result of legislative change to extend the legal lifetime of nuclear power plants in Japan

The purpose of nuclear regulation is not to impede the sound development of industry's competitiveness. Therefore, the regulations must be coherent, transparent and most of all, logical.On May 31st, 2023, a bill including rules to change the legal lifetime of nuclear power plants was approved and endorsed at the 211th ordinary session of the National Diet in Japan. An important characteristic of this legislative change is that it does not simply grant additional operating years to the original lifetime; rather, it considers the length of time that the plant was under shutdown status due to reasons not attributable to the plant owners and excludes this period from the countdown of the predetermined lifetime, thus extending the original legal lifetime.Three major problems could be listed in the procedures for changing the rules and in the new rules themselves. Firstly, the period during which this matter was discussed was too short to discuss issues raised by the change in detail. Secondly, the definitions of the period to be excluded from the predetermined lifetime are neither scientifically logical nor clear and would likely cause a great deal of confusion for both licensees and regulators when the new rule comes into effect. Thirdly, under this rule, the legal lifetime of a plant which performance is worse would be longer than that of the one with better operating performance. In particular, the second and the third problems deviate greatly from the purpose of nuclear regulation, which is not to impede the sound development of industry's competitiveness. The author strongly urges all parties involved to reconsider their decisions even after the bill has got an official approval at the National Diet.

The Influence of Japanese Nuclear Sewage Pollution on China's Import and Export Trade

The Fukushima Daiichi disaster occurred in 2011, leading to ongoing concerns about contaminated water. China and Japan have a complex trade relationship, which makes any disruption important. This background sets the stage for exploring potential trade implications. The research will discuss how Japan's nuclear and water pollution affect China's import and export trade. First, we will cover the background of the accident at the Fukushima nuclear power plant in Japan and the atomic sewage treatment plan. Next, we will analyze the potential impact of this incident on China's import and export trade, covering trade relations, seafood, and other aspects. Finally, we will discuss China's measures and proposals to address this impact. In short, it is concluded that Sino-Japanese trade will be subject to inevitable fluctuations in the short and medium term, but in the long run, its transaction will still show a steady upward trend.

Research progress on sources, harms and countermeasures of marine pollution

Human behavior is posing a serious threat to the ecological environment of the global ocean. This paper explores three important issues related to the marine environment: nuclear pollution, ocean acidification and marine microplastic pollution. First, the problem of nuclear pollution focuses on the potential threat to marine ecosystems and human health from nuclear sewage discharge from the nuclear power plant in Japan. Although the Japanese government has taken some response measures, the relevant risks and impacts still need attention to and addressed. It is suggested to strengthen supervision and management, promote technological innovation, and reasonably support the affected communities. Second, the ocean acidification problem is exacerbated by excessive atmospheric carbon dioxide emissions, which has a serious impact on marine life and ecosystems. The article advocates reducing global greenhouse gas emissions, promoting renewable energy development, and strengthening international cooperation and scientific research to protect marine ecosystems. Finally, in response to marine microplastic pollution, it calls for strengthening the development and use of plastic alternatives, improving waste management and treatment, and promoting innovation in microplastic detection and removal technologies. Addressing these issues requires the combined efforts of governments, researchers and the public, including enhanced monitoring, research and development of effective management policies.

Public opinion on nuclear power plants in Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States of America: A prescription for peculiar Japan

In attempts to solve climate change and energy security issues, many countries have made plans to invest in nuclear energy. Public opinion on nuclear energy is an important factor in building support for the construction and operation of new nuclear power plants (NPPs). In this study, public opinion surveys on existing NPP use and the new construction of NPPs were conducted simultaneously using the same method in Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States of America. Japanese respondents were neutral on existing and new NPPs, citing “no strong reason”. In all three countries, the term “new construction” made the respondents anxious about NPP safety. This study also examined whether Japanese respondents’ attitudes change when the reasons for negative opinions toward NPPs are solved. By using the phrase “NPPs that no longer require evacuation,” respondent anxiety was resolved, and an increase in the respondents who agreed with the new construction of NPPs was observed. For Japanese respondents who believed that the problem of radioactive waste had not yet been resolved, the selection of a disposal site was not perceived as a solution. Based on these findings, this research provides valuable insights that can help advance energy policy in Japan.

Evaluation of seismic performance of aged massive RC wall structure restrained by adjacent members using RBSM

Aging management and maintenance are essential processes to ensure the safety of reinforced concrete (RC) buildings in nuclear power plants (NPPs). This is because several phenomena induce cracking behavior and mechanical property changes (MPC) in concrete that might change the structural performance and durability of massive RC structures. Although massive RC structures have not been encountered with excessive loading or severe environmental conditions, structural performance and durability have changed owing to cracks regarding restraint volumetric changes (e.g., thermal and drying-shrinkage cracks) and MPC of concrete throughout the service life. This study numerically investigated the whole history of massive RC structures observed under the general conditions of NPPs in Japan. The alternation in seismic performance according to the whole history of the structure was investigated using a rigid body-spring model. The impacts of restrained cracks, the interaction with structural cracks, and the MPC of concrete were determined to clarify their significance, which is generally neglected for the design and inspection process in the engineering practice.

An Estimation Method for Bias Error of Measurements by Utilizing Process Data, An Incidence Matrix and a Reference Instrument for Data Validation and Reconciliation

Abstract With further applications of AI, IoT, and digital twin technology to plant operation and maintenance, it is becoming increasingly important to ensure data reliability. Data validation and reconciliation (DVR) represents one promising technique to ensure data reliability by minimizing the uncertainty of measurements based on statistics. DVR has been widely applied to nuclear power electrical generation plants in Europe and the U.S. in recent years. The most important input for DVR analysis is measurement uncertainty. In Japan, performance management of nuclear power plants is often done by measuring condensate flowrate. While the uncertainty of other flowmeters is handled by the JIS standard, the condensate flowmeter is specially calibrated every few cycles. This leads to reduction of effectiveness of DVR analysis due to variations in measurement uncertainty management. To overcome this issue, we propose an estimation method for measurement uncertainty by utilizing process data, an incidence matrix between sensors, and a reference instrument. The conventional method proposed in the previous study only treats the random error. The proposed method quantitatively estimates not only random error but also bias error by considering the uncertainty of the reference instrument. Using several benchmark problems, we found that the proposed method was applicable to various flow conditions, including physically fluctuating flow such as that observed in the feedwater flow in nuclear power plants. We anticipate that the proposed method will promote use of DVR analysis in nuclear power plants in Japan.

Energy efficiency and environmental friendliness of nuclear power plants and wind power plants

The article analyses the energy efficiency and environmental friendliness of nuclear power plants and wind power plants in the conditions of intensive population growth and, as a result, the growth of electricity needs, taking into account the negative impact on the environment not only during the construction of energy facilities, but also during operation and disposal after the end of the term operation It is emphasized that in the process of society development wind generators were initially used only for grinding grain, pumping water, for draining swamps, for expanding agricultural land, etc., and only later, due to the shortage of energy resources, they began to be used to generate electricity. In parallel with this, such scientists as Petro Kapitsa, Serhii Vavilov, Igor Kurchatov, Mykola Dolezal and others were engaged in the development of nuclear energy. As a result, in 1954, the world's first atomic power plant with a capacity of 5 MW was built in the city of Obninsk. It was such a revolutionary breakthrough in electricity that wind energy was abandoned. From that moment, the number of reactors began to grow rapidly, reaching 438 in 2002. But starting in 1969, accidents began to occur at the nuclear power plant one after the other. There have been 22 landmark accidents, including Chornobyl in Ukraine in 1986. No less devastating was the accident in 2011 at the Oganawa and Fukushima 1 nuclear power plants in Japan. After the Chornobyl accident in 1986, humanity again remembered wind generators, which seemed ecological. But in the process of operation, it became clear that they also have their shortcomings. But, as time has shown, most of them can be eliminated by improving the actual wind generators and their optimal location in wind farms. Because all accidents at nuclear power plants are due to the fault of service personnel, atomic power can become accident-free with the introduction of modern smart technologies. Thus, both nuclear and wind power plants should develop, complementing each other to counter russia's military aggression.

A membrane, pseudo-vertical p-i-n diamond detector

ABSTRACT We report on the membrane diamond detector, which consists of 5 µm-thick p-i-n diodes and a dedicated front-end ASIC, fabricated in a 65-nm CMOS technology. The p-i-n diode has an attractive feature for low -ray sensitivities due to its extremely thin drift layer, which is difficult to form by etching of bulk diamond with a Metal−Insulator−Metal structure. The pseudo-vertical p-i-n diode structure was formed on the single crystal diamond {111} substrate by MPCVD and dry-etching process. The readout electronics was designed to meet specifications for real-time neutron monitoring in harsh -ray environments. The prototype system was evaluated in charge distribution measurements induced by -particles from Am. The charge spectra were successfully obtained from multi-channels, each of which has a diameter of 250 µm aligning in a pixel matrix. By combining with neutron converters, e.g. B or Li, we expect the detector system as a good candidate for detecting spontaneous fission neutrons, emitted from submerged fuel debris at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant in Japan.

Accident Sequence Precursor Analysis of an Incident in a Japanese Nuclear Power Plant Based on Dynamic Probabilistic Risk Assessment

Probabilistic risk assessment (PRA) is an effective methodology that could be used to improve the safety of nuclear power plants in a reasonable manner. Dynamic PRA, as an advanced PRA, allows for more realistic and detailed analyses by handling time-dependent information. However, the applications of this method to practical problems are limited because it remains in the research and development stage. This study aimed to investigate the possibility of utilizing dynamic PRA in risk-informeddecision-making. Specifically, the author performed an accident sequence precursor (ASP) analysis on the failure of emergency diesel generators that occurred at Unit 1 of the Tomari Nuclear Power Plant in Japan using dynamic PRA. The results were evaluated by comparison with the results of simplified classical PRA. The findings indicated that dynamic PRA may estimate lower risks compared with those obtained from classical PRA by reasonable modeling of alternating current power recovery. The author also showed that dynamic PRA can provide detailed information that cannot be obtained with classical PRA, such as uncertainty distribution of core damage timing and importance measure considering the system failure timing.

Analysis of public attitudes towards “local agreements” on restarting nuclear power plants: a questionnaire survey in four prefectures in Japan

ABSTRACT This study explored public attitudes towards the “local agreement” process as it relates to the restart of nuclear power plants (NPPs) in Japan. Conflicts have arisen over not only whether NPPs should be restarted, but also how and by whom the local agreements on their restart should be made. Using exploratory factor analysis on the data from an online monitor questionnaire survey conducted in four prefectures with NPPs in Japan, this study identified three latent factors behind public attitudes: “the conventional decision makers,” “those negatively affected,” and “those benefitting from the restart.” A multi-regression analysis of factor scores showed that opinions on restarting NPPs, prefectural referendums, and the geographical range of local agreements were related to attitudes towards local agreements. There were also differences in attitudes towards local agreements according to prefectures, gender, and age, while where respondents live in relation to the nearby NPP had little influence. To design a more socially acceptable local agreement process, it is necessary to reconcile such differences. By providing a better understanding of the local politics regarding restarting NPPs in Japan, this study paved the way for resolving conflicts over local agreements.

An analysis of the desire to make radiation measurements and to dialogue with experts among the residents of Tomioka town, Fukushima Prefecture: about the implementation of the co-expertise process

The article presents a contribution concerning the desire to make radiation measurements and to dialogue with experts among the residents of Tomioka town close to the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant in Japan at the time of the lifting of the relocation order in 2017. Relying on data from a questionnaire conducted at the same time with approximately 8000 residents aged 20 years or older who lived in Tomioka before the accident, a logistic regression analysis was performed to identify retrospectively the factors having driven these desires. The results shed some light on the motivation of affected people to engage in the co-expertise process implemented in Tomioka by experts from Nagasaki University and local authorities. In essence there are two significant results: (i) the people who have the desire to make radiation measurements are those who are reluctant to eat foods produced in the town and who already had an experience of radiation measurement, (ii) the people who have the desire to dialogue with experts about radiation exposure and health effects are above 60 years old and are reluctant to eat foods produced in the town and to drink tap water. In both cases people can imagine living in Tomioka now and in the future. Perspectives regarding future research are envisaged.

Seismic Evaluation Approaches for Spent Fuel Pool Structures in Nuclear Power Plants

The United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission issued requests for licensees to re-evaluate the seismic hazards at their sites after the accident at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant in Japan on March 11 in 2011 and to identify and address any site-specific vulnerabilities associated with seismic hazards. The primary guidance for performing those evaluations is provided in the Electric Power Research Institute EPRI-1025287 report, which also provides guidance for evaluating spent fuel pool (SFP) integrity. In addition, the EPRI-3002009564 report also provides evaluation approaches regarding the effects of seismic ground motions on SFPs that supplement the guidance provided in EPRI-1025287. SFP integrity has become increasingly important for active and decommissioned nuclear power plants. According to EPRI-1025287, the SFP integrity evaluation emphasizes failure modes of the SFP that could result in “rapid drain-down.” The definition of “rapid drain-down” is a failure that could lead to the uncovering of irradiated fuel stored in the SFP within 72[Formula: see text]h of an earthquake. Possible failures can be classified into two categories: failures relevant to the SFP structure and failures relevant to non-structural elements. This paper aims to study the approaches of implementing seismic evaluation of an SFP structure. EPRI-3002009564 provides separate seismic evaluation approaches for plants with a ground motion response spectrum (GMRS) peak [Formula: see text][Formula: see text]g and for plants with a GMRS peak [Formula: see text][Formula: see text]g. Structural dynamic analysis is also a common approach for implementing seismic evaluation if a detailed finite element model is available. In this paper, a sample SFP structure was evaluated using the two approaches, structural dynamic analysis and structural analysis criteria. The results indicate that shear failure controlled the failure mode of the SFP structure for both approaches. This shows that the two approaches drew the same conclusion regarding the failure mode. Furthermore, a smaller seismic margin was obtained using the structural analysis criteria, which means this evaluative approach is more conservative.

Public Opinion Survey on Restart and New Construction of Nuclear Power Plants in Japan: Extraction of Public’s Important Concern and Attitude Change by Solution

Public Opinion Survey on Restart and New Construction of Nuclear Power Plants in Japan: Extraction of Public’s Important Concern and Attitude Change by Solution

Long-term Health Risks of Cancer in Ukraine: Insights from the 2011 Fukushima Triple Disaster Experience.

The ongoing Russo-Ukrainian War and the Great East Japan Earthquake and the subsequent accident at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant in Japan have many similarities, such as mass evacuation, family separation, difficulty in accessing necessary medical care, and reduced health priorities. Although several studies have reported concerns about the short-term health impacts of the war on patients with cancer, little has been noted about the long-term effects it may cause. Given the experience of the Fukushima accident, it is important to establish a long-term support system for patients with cancer in Ukraine.