Safeguards Activities and Plan for Strengthening Safeguards and Nuclear Security After the Great East Japan Earthquake

The Great East Japan Earthquake, which struck on 11 March 2011, caused severe damage to nuclear facilities such as their actual physical destruction and a resulting blackout. It also had a grave impact on safeguards activities in Japan. Safeguards activities in all nuclear facilities other than the Fukushima Daiichi and Daini Nuclear Power Plants, however, were returned to nomal due to the efforts by relevant entities and the Japan Safeguards Office as well as cooperation from the IAEA. With regard to the Fukushima Daiichi and Daini NPPs, we are striving to re-establish safeguards activities under the basic concept that both Japan and the IAEA make as many efforts as possible through mutual cooperation. Safeguards activities at the Fukushima Daiichi NPP have not been completely recovered although resumption of safeguards activities at the Fukushima Daini NPP is expected soon. Therefore, new safeguards concepts and technologies for nuclear facilities damaged by catastrophic events need to be developed. Japan, meanwhile, is fully committed to continuing to develop human resources and technologies relating to the detection and measurement of nuclear materials as well as nuclear forensics in order to enhance nuclear security in the severe, recovering phase from the disaster. This paper presents our current safeguards activities and activities for strengthening safeguards and nuclear security after the Great East Japan Earthquake, endeavors that will contribute to securing international trust in our peaceful use of nuclear energy