Cabinet approves new nuke watchdog
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The Cabinet approved a plan Aug. 15 to set up by next April a new agency in charge of nuclear safety under the Environment Ministry as a key pillar of the country's basic policy on improving nuclear safety regulation.
The new entity will integrate the Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency (NISA), the Cabinet Office's Nuclear Safety Commission, and the radiation and other environmental monitoring functions from the science ministry.
Eyeing a major overhaul of Japan's nuclear regulatory framework, Prime Minister Naoto Kan has been calling for the separation of the current NISA from the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, which promotes the use of atomic energy.
The current setup of the nuclear safety agency under the industry ministry has been criticized for lax government supervision of nuclear facilities, and a slow response to the Fukushima nuclear power plant crisis triggered by the devastating March 11 earthquake and tsunami. (Kyodo News)
「原子力安全庁」新設、閣議決定
原子力保安院と内閣府原子力安全委員会を統合した「原子力安全庁」を環境省の外局として新設することが8月15日、閣議決定された。
Shukan ST: August 26, 2011
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