Panel: Nuclear watchdog relies too much on plant makers

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Japan’s nuclear power plant watchdog relies too much on information from manufacturers when assessing plants’ safety and faces an age crisis among its inspectors, according to a third-party report published Jan. 12.

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By TATSUYUKI KOBORI / Staff Writer
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Panel: Nuclear watchdog relies too much on plant makers
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Japan’s nuclear power plant watchdog relies too much on information from manufacturers when assessing plants’ safety and faces an age crisis among its inspectors, according to a third-party report published Jan. 12.

The investigation into failures by the government-affiliated Japan Nuclear Energy Safety Organization (JNES) found that the inspectorate “failed to gather information on its own,” instead leaning on the firms it was supposed to be inspecting to prepare key documents.

A five-member panel, headed by Omiya Law School President Toshihiko Kashiwagi, said that could result “in a confusion of responsibilities for inspection,” and called on the inspectorate to clarify who is responsible for preparing documents.

Some JNES inspections conducted before 2010 were found to have been flawed, with errors made in records and some aspects of plant safety left unchecked.

The panel was set up last year to look into three unreliable inspections by the JNES after it was revealed, in February 2009, that nuclear inspectors had approved data three times in 2008 that incorrectly stated the length of nuclear fuel rods. The panel also criticized two other inspections.

It also warned that the age of inspectors is a growing problem for the JNES. The organization recruited staff from mid-career workers at manufacturers of nuclear power plants when it was established in October 2003. As a result, 49 of its 75 inspectors, or 65 percent, were in their 50s as of November 2011. The panel expressed concern that the panel could face a shortage of workers after current workers reach retirement age.

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