Global Energy Policy Research

Agora Institute held its second conference, "Considering Sustainable Energy Strategy", on December 8. (Program) (Panelist Profiles and Studies) (Nico Nico Live)

The accident at the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Plant posed a serious problem whether we can live with nuclear energies. On the other hand, its risks of climate change and air pollution makes fossil fuels hazardous, therefore issue we face is not so simple. Can we build a sustainable civilization while maintaining sufficient energy and good environment?

In May last year, then Prime Minister Naoto Kan requested shut down of Hamaoka nuclear power satation of Chubu Electric Power, saying that it is very likely to be the Tokai earthquake. As a result, the Company begun safety improvement works mainly tsunami measures on a scale of 140 billion yen. He reports the present condition at Hamaoka.

On September 14th, Energy and Environmental Council of the Government of Japan, published. It determined the aim of the country to have zero nuclear power generation by the 2030s. Regarding this document, the government at first said it will “aim for decision by the cabinet council” with strong binding effect, however, on September 17th, changed it to ambiguous challenge, probably due to domestic repulsion. [c.f. Cabinet decision document “ About future energy and environmental policy” There is less interest towards Japan due to slump of its economic power, however, switch of energy policy of a country with 3rd largest quantity of generation of nuclear in the world in 2010, drew attention.

We introduce the report published in August by Richard Armitage, the former deputy secretary of state, and Joseph Nye, Proffessor at Harvard University, together with CSIS. “The U.S.- Japan Alliance” The report proposes such as use of nuclear power generation, the international joint ownership of the lessons of the Fukushima accident, and the sale of the American shale gas.

Ministry of the Environment of Japan began a service to display potential location for renewable energy on a Japanese map by using Google Earth.

This article showed reserves of the shale gas. Reserves are abundant in the United States and China, countries with high energy consumptions. Therefore, it points out that it is benefitial for both energy security and global warming policy.

It showed Direct Load Control ,which electric power company control directly and remotely each demands, was effective in efforts to reduce demand peak.

Japanese private volunteers learning from the experiences of ETHOS PROJECT , aims for reconstruction and protection from radioactivity with residents independence. This site introduce their activities.（Mainly in Japanese）

It is a report of reconstruction activities in Belarus from the nuclear disaster in Chernobyl

The Rehabilitations of Living Conditions after the Fukushima Accident

This web site shows information about radioactivity monitoring in Japan. It is highly unlikely that there will be any health damages with current level of radiation.

This Article translated from Japanese. Russian National Academy of Science published the original report at 2011.(Russian) This report has not translated in English. GEPR hope to be used this content by all experts and people in the world. Mr. Keiichi Nakagawa, M.D, PhD, provided translated articles from Russian to Japanese to GEPR.

The Science Council of Japan published a discourse "For the Correct Understanding of Radiation Protection" (Japanese Only) in June 2011. The Science Council of Japan is an organization representing Japan's scientists. The discourse expresses a view that protection standards set by the ICRP (International Commission on Radiological Protection) is appropriate. Japanese government refers to this discourse when making policies for radiation protection.

We will provide soon from this report "Conclusion" in English. Original Articles GEPR introduce the report of the Chernobyl accident, which was published by the Russian government. Thanks to Dr. Keiichi Nakagawa, M.D., Ph.D., and Associate Professor, Tokyo University, who provided the this Japanese translation. GEPR Thank appreciate his kindly cooperation.

This article is a technical proposal, and an analysis of current agriculture in Japan. The report identifies important problems.

It surveys 203,904 workers between 2005-2009, and the average cumulative dose-exposure was 13.3 mSv　per capita. Health hazards are not observed among them in this research.

There are regions in the world with high-dose natural radiation. The annual radiations are, in Ramsar (Iran) 10.2mSv average, 260mSv maximum, Guarapari (Brazil) 5.5mSv average, 35mSv maximum , and Kerala (India) 3.8 mSv average, and 35mSv maximum. In Japan it is 0.46mSv average and 1.26mSv maximum. Health damage caused by radiation in these areas has not been observed.

This WG advised a 20mSv limit for radiation exposure to the region affected by the accident in Fukushima. And another documents reported by this WG. "Summary" (only in Japanese) "Messages from overseas experts about radiation" (English and Japanese)

Summary of Interim Report (The full version is now being translated into English by the Committee)

The project that is the subject of this report was approved by the Governing Board of the National Research Council, whose members are drawn from the councils of the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Engineering, and the Institute of Medicine. The members of the committee responsible for the report were chosen for their special competences and with regard for appropriate balance. This study was supported by Environmental Protection Agency Grant #X-826842-01, Nuclear Regulatory Commission Grant #NRC-04-98-061, and U.S. Department of Commerce, National Institute of Standards and Technology Grant #60NANB5D1003. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the organizations or agencies that provided support for the project.

The accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in 1986 was the most severe in the history of the nuclear power industry, causing a huge release of radionuclides over large areas of Belarus, Ukraine and the Russian Federation. Now, 20 years later, UN Agencies and representatives of the three countries have reviewed the health, environmental and socio-economic consequences.

The accident at the Chernobyl nuclear reactor that occurred on 26 April 1986 was the most serious accident ever to occur in the nuclear power industry. The reactor was destroyed in the accident and considerable amounts of radioactive material were released to the environment. The accident caused the deaths, within a few weeks, of 30 workers and radiation injuries to over a hundred others. In response, the authorities evacuated, in 1986, about 115,000 people from areas surrounding the reactor and subsequently relocated, after 1986, about 220,000 people from Belarus, the Russian Federation and Ukraine. The accident caused serious social and psychological disruption in the lives of those affected and vast economic losses over the entire region. Large areas of the three countries were contaminated with radioactive materials, and radionuclides from the Chernobyl release were measurable in all countries of the northern hemisphere.