Yukiya Amano, director-general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, on July 28 offered to have his nuclear watchdog agency review the results of the "stress tests" that Japan plans to conduct to evaluate the safety of all nuclear power plants in the country.
Yukiya Amano, director-general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, on July 28 offered to have his nuclear watchdog agency review the results of the "stress tests" that Japan plans to conduct to evaluate the safety of all nuclear power plants in the country.
Amano made the offer in a meeting with Banri Kaieda, Japan's minister of Economy, Trade and Industry.
Afterward, Amano said that Kaieda had responded by saying, "We wish to join hands with the IAEA in proceeding with the efforts."
Amano added that an international review would enhance the credibility of national-level safety checks on nuclear plants to be conducted by individual countries.
Amano first floated the idea at the IAEA Ministerial Conference on Nuclear Safety in Vienna in June, where he argued that additional review by the IAEA would add credibility to national-level assessments.