August 2011

Review on an Organization in charge of Nuclear Safety Regulation

On 15 August, a Cabinet Decision was made on the Basic Policy on the Reform of an Organization in charge of Nuclear Safety Regulation. Prior to this decision, common understanding by relevant ministers was established on 12 August, based upon a tentative plan presented by Minister Goshi Hosono in the previous week.

In the Cabinet Decision, it was decided that "Nuclear Safety and Security Agency (NSSA) (tentative)" will be created as an Affiliated Organization (Gaikyoku) of the Ministry of Environment in view of "the separation of nuclear regulation and promotion", separating the nuclear safety regulation section of the Nuclear and Industry Safety Agency (NISA) from the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) and integrating the function of the Nuclear Safety Commission (NSC). The Cabinet Secretariat will carry out preparation work including drafting necessary bills, aiming to create the NSSA in April 2012, and the government will respond in a flexible manner when the relevant outcome from the Investigation Committee on the Accident at the TEPCO’s Fukushima Nuclear Power Stations is presented during the course of the review.
The government will further conduct a broader study on a future nuclear and energy policy review as well as the outcome of the investigation into the accident, and it will then present the result of its review by around the end of 2012 on areas covered by the new organization and on the way to upgrade a more effective and robust organization.

For relevant materials, please see below.
[Cabinet Decision]
"Basic Policy on the Reform of an Organization in charge of Nuclear Safety Regulation" (15 August)(PDF:17KB)
[Understanding by Relevant Ministers]
"Review on an Organization in charge of Nuclear Safety Regulation" (12 August)(PDF:31KB)

[Related Link]
"Announcement by Minister Goshi Hosono of a Tentative Plan on a Review on an Organization in charge of Nuclear Safety Regulation" (5 August)