Personnel strategy for international cooperation

Japan Nuclear Human Resource Development Network published a report with the title of "a new direction of human resource development in response to the accident of Fukushima nuclear power plant" (東京電力福島原子力発電所事故を踏まえた原子力人材育成の方向性について）. At the section of "future direction" in this report, the following notices are found:

In order to contribute to the development of new safety criteria in international organizations governing nuclear safety in response to the accident in Fukushima, it is required to develop human resources who have communication skills as well as technical knowledge on nuclear safety.

The central government mentioned in a report with the title of "An additional report prepared by the Japanese government to internal nuclear agency - the accident of the nuclear power plant in Fukushima- ". At the section of "securing personnel in the field of nuclear safety" in this report, the following notices are found;

We will launch a study to establish "a training center in the field of nuclear safety for international cooperation and improvement of personnel quality".

The other section of "strengthen of regulatory organization for nuclear safety" mentioned as the followings:

We aim to establish "Nuclear Safety Agency" (tentative name). Will will secure high quality personnel ,regardless of public sectors or private sectors, in order to proceed properly with our missions.

The more I encountered such kind of voices from the governmental sides or private sectors, the more I am convinced that environmental consultants will play a pivotal role to provide stakeholders with proper solutions.

Before the 3.11, the nuclear safety is not managed under conventional environmental regulations like water pollution prevention acts or soil pollution prevention acts in Japan. Environmental quality standards for radioactive substances have not yet been established. On the other hand, a set of strict regulatory frameworks on the nuclear safety is developed for radiation controlled areas. Although some people including Dr. Sakata Shoichi had suggested that the regulatory framework should be expanded in order to regulate radiation contamination outside the radiation controlled areas, there is yet no rules in Japan to regulate nuclear safety outside the radiation controlled areas.

I think that it is time for environmental consultants to work with this big issue in collaboration with experts of nuclear safety.