Japan agrees to set up new nuclear agency under Environment Ministry

[News_Editor]

Japan agrees to set up new nuclear agency under Environment Ministry

2011-08-13 14:13:26 GMT+7 (ICT)

TOKYO (BNO NEWS) -- Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan has announced that, along with Cabinet members, they have agreed to set up a new nuclear safety agency under the country's Environment Ministry.

The final decision to create the new agency will be made on Monday, the Kyodo news agency reported on Saturday, adding that the new entity would be formally set up in April 2012. Last week, the Japanese government had announced its plan, but it was still considering setting up the agency under either the Environment Ministry or the Cabinet Office.

The decision was made as the government has faced strong criticism due to the country's handling of the nuclear disaster that began since the March 11 earthquake and ensuing tsunami. Kan has been pushing for separation of Japan's Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency from the industry ministry as it promotes the use of nuclear energy.

Following the agreement, the government will now be setting up a preliminary panel as early as this month in order to submit related legislation during January's ordinary parliamentary session, Kyodo reported.

Japan's nuclear crisis began when the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant was severely damaged on March 11 when a 9.0-magnitude earthquake and a subsequent tsunami devastated the country. The disaster disabled the cooling systems of the plant and radioactive elements leaked into the sea and were later found in water, air and food products in some parts of Japan. Subsequent power shortages throughout the country have further complicated recovery efforts.

At least 23,482 people were killed while 8,069 people remain missing as a result of the earthquake and tsunami. There are still more than 88,000 people who are staying in shelters in 21 prefectures around Japan.

-- © BNO News All rights reserved 2011-08-13

[maidu]

Too bad it took such sustained pain and expense for Japan officialdom to make the change.

Now if we can just get Thailand do a similar act of good faith. Currently, Thailand's EGAT is in charge of Thailand's nuclear future, and from all indications, they're firmly in the lap of big business (those who stand to reap big money benefits) and the nuclear industry in their outlook. When EGAT contracted 175 million baht to get a feasibility study, guess who they went to? They didn't speak to a sampling of nuclear experts, pro and con. No, they simply went to a large American nuclear engineering firm, and paid them the full amount of money - to write a 100% glowing report (pun intended) - which came out 9 months before the Fukishima problem. As far as I know, EGAT has not refuted anything in that report - since. They're still in favor of several nuclear power plants for Thailand and still claim it's cheap and completely clean and safe. Go figure.