Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant Accident

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Taizo Yakushiji

Comparisons of Three NPP Accidents

1) Operational Mismanagement

TMI (March 28th of 1979)….fuel melt-down due to shut-down of cooling water

Chernobyl (April 26th of 1986)….blow-up of nuclear furnace itself due to accidental shut-down of water cooling system and malfunction of fuel control rods

2) Tsunami (The East Japan Big Earthquake, Richter Scale 10th Degree)

Fukushima Daiichi 　 (March 11th of 2011)….leak of high radioactive water from nuclear furnace due to destruction of electric power supply causing malfunction of water cooling system

Fukushima Daiichi and Japanese Nuclear Power Plants

• BWR (Boiling Water Reactors)….about 32 + α plants simple structure, high temperature (less than 300 degree C) high pressure 70 atmospheric pressure manufacturer…..GE (Hitachi)

(cf.) TMI….PWR (Pressurized Water Rectors)

See TEPCO’s Handouts

• The War-like Processes to combat to solve the Tsunami-damaged Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant

Ins and Outs of Foreigners• After realization of Fukushima Daiichi accidents reported by media, big

exodus of most foreigners (include: diplomatic corps) from Japan or

moved to the west of Tokyo….memory-syndrome of TMI and Chernobyl

• Three experts came in with technicians (like the third countries’ war-observation officers of a warlike combat for solving Fukushima’s accident)

March 18th IAEA DG Yukiya Amano March 30th Areva’s Anne Lauvergeon (reprocessing, mix oxidized material) April 4th GE’s chairman Jeff Immelt (builder of Fukushima’s BWR)

Socio-political Issues

• Four conflicting parties….TEPCO, METI’s Nuclear Safety Officer, Cabinet Offices Nuclear Safety Commission, Government’s Nuclear Commission, Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano

• Japanese housewives, farmers, cattle feeders, fisher men become ‘physicists’….physics jargons like Sievert (micro Sv) and Becquerel (Bq)…..concerned with radioactive matters, including iodine (radioactive iodine damages thyroid)

(cf.) Sievert means receiveing radiation (rays) Bechuerel means amount of radiation