Annals of the ICRP

This paper does not necessarily reflect the views of the International Commission on Radiological Protection.This article describes the institutional structure established for decommissioning Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant. To deal with the aftermath of the unprecedented nuclear accident in Fukushima, several responsible institutions such as Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) have worked together at the initiative of the Government of Japan...

Following the accident at Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant in 2011, a series of health literacy training workshops for local health workers was developed and implemented. This study aimed to analyse who among the intended audience gained the greatest benefit from the training. Nine health workers attended a workshop consisting of classroom training and a follow-up feedback assessment of materials they created in the workshop. The materials were assessed by a total of 131 intended readers. Using Sakai's tool, those items asking readers to rate the accessibility of written information were used to compare the materials before and after revision...

This paper does not necessarily reflect the views of the International Commission on Radiological Protection.What is at stake? It was one of the most frequently asked questions in a series of fora with concerned parties on the rehabilitation of living conditions in the aftermath of the accident at Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant. It was obvious that radioactive contamination was the source of the problem, and people were at a loss over how to cope with the situation. Various measures were taken under such circumstances, including detailed radiation monitoring, a decontamination programme to reduce the level of radiation in the living environment, and activities related to communication about radiation risk...

Following the accident at Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, Fukushima Prefecture is conducting the Fukushima Health Management Survey, which has been contracted out to Fukushima Medical University. The purpose of this survey is to investigate the exposure doses and health conditions of the residents of Fukushima Prefecture in order to prevent, diagnose, and treat diseases at an early stage, and to maintain and improve the health of residents in the future.This survey consists of a basic survey to estimate external exposure doses and detailed surveys to investigate health conditions...

No abstract text is available yet for this article.

Since the accident at Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, there has been a focus on the impact of low-dose radiation exposure due to nuclear disasters and radiology on human bodies. In order to study very low levels of impact on the human body from low-dose radiation exposure, a system with high detection sensitivity is needed. Until now, the most well-established biological radiation effect detection system in the field of emergency radiation medicine has been chromosomal analysis. However, chromosomal analysis requires advanced skills, and it is necessary to perform chromosomal analysis of a large number of cells in order to detect slight effects on the human body due to low-dose radiation exposure...

No abstract text is available yet for this article.

Since the International Research Institute for Nuclear Decommissioning (IRID) was established as a technology research association in August 2013, it has been engaged in research and development (R&D) for decommissioning the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, which is currently an urgent issue, to strengthen the platform for decommissioning technology for the future. The work of IRID R&D is classified into three main pillars: removal of spent nuclear fuel from the pool; retrieval of fuel debris; and technological development for treatment and disposal of solid radioactive waste...

It has been nearly 10 years since the accident at Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant. With the cooperation of those involved, the site, which was once in a crisis situation, has improved to the point where it is possible to look ahead and proceed with work on schedule. In the off-site area, conditions for returning home have been progressed, and evacuation orders for some areas have been lifted by the Japanese Government. This article describes, in respect of the various efforts being made on site at the moment, the current status of fuel removal from the spent fuel pools, preparations for fuel debris retrieval, improvement of the working environment, and future plans...

No abstract text is available yet for this article.

The importance of involving experts in the development of strategies for managing areas contaminated as a result of a nuclear accident is now well recognised. Following the Chernobyl accident in 1986, the initial focus, quite understandably, was on the technical aspects of reducing doses to the affected population. Subsequently, work carried out in the UK and elsewhere in Europe looked at the broader impacts of protective actions on agriculture, the environment, and society. From 1997, a group of experts from academia, government, and non-government organisations met regularly in the UK to debate these issues...

It has been 10 years since the accident at Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant in 2011. Large quantities of 131 I, 134 Cs, and 137 Cs were released into the environment, and 80% of 137 Cs still remains. In addition to the decrease by attenuation, the transfer of 137 Cs to plants, animals, and humans is decreasing due to movement and changing fractions with elapsed time. The activity concentration of 137 Cs in the atmosphere has decreased drastically, and the internal radiation dose due to inhalation is negligible...

This paper does not necessarily reflect the views of the International Commission on Radiological Protection.Beyond the consideration of radiological aspects, the rehabilitation of living and working conditions after a large nuclear accident is a complex process in which all dimensions of individual and community life are involved and interconnected. Responsibles of socio-economic entities are facing various difficulties/challenges, including the implementation of protective actions for ensuring the protection of employees, the continuity of production of good-quality products in affected areas, and restoring the confidence of consumers...

To promote radiation protection and health promotion among returning residents (returnees) in coastal areas of Fukushima, eHealth principles were used to develop a new application tool (app) that can record radiation exposure and health status while providing comprehensive support to returnees. Intended users are returnees and health and welfare workers. After assessing their needs, a flowchart and prototype for operational logic were created using commercially available software tools. Professional developers will focus on improving the user interface and ensuring data security...

Estimates of thyroid doses to the public from radioiodine intake following the accidents at Chernobyl and Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plants are compared. The basis for thyroid dose estimates after the Chernobyl accident was a large set of measurements of 131 I thyroidal content for approximately 400,000 residents in Belarus, Ukraine, and Russia. Due to a lack of direct thyroid measurements after the Fukushima accident (just over 1000 residents were measured), thyroid doses were estimated based on ecological models and are therefore associated with much higher uncertainty than those based on direct thyroid measurements...

The fallout from the 1986 Chernobyl accident caused dramatic and long-lasting consequences for parts of food production in Norway, and the indigenous Sámi reindeer-herding lifestyle and culture in central Norway was particularly threatened. Banning food production - or condemning food - was considered unacceptable in a long-term perspective, and huge efforts were made to develop mitigating options. Some of these are still in place, 35 years after the accident. This article describes some of the long-term efforts made by Norwegian authorities to attempt to alleviate the consequences for the reindeer herders...

As the decommissioning of Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant (NPP) progresses, the issue of how to deal with tritiated water has been attracting attention, both domestically and internationally. This article summarises the live discussion at the International Symposium on Tritiated Water, which was held by the Japan Health Physics Society (JHPS) in June 2020. Two issues - the scientific safety of tritiated water and social consensus building - were covered in the live discussion. The importance of further disclosure and dissemination of information based on steady monitoring was highlighted...

At the time of the accident at Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant in 2011, I was living in Iwaki City with my two children and my husband. With our home damaged by the tsunami and the deteriorating status following the situation at the nuclear power plant, we spent 2 years as evacuees before returning to Iwaki City. Subsequently, I decided to work as a radiation counsellor in the Suetsugi district of Iwaki City. I would like to describe my experience of taking measurements and helping to communicate with the residents while respecting the lives of local people...

No abstract text is available yet for this article.

No abstract text is available yet for this article.