Terasaka Director-General,

Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency (NISA), Tokyo, Japan

I am Nobuaki Terasaka, Director-General of NISA, the Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency of Japan. I am grateful that we are all together today at the second technical and scientific support organization (TSO) conference, organized by the IAEA and hosted by the Japan Nuclear Energy Safety Organization (JNES) here in Tokyo. I am very proud that, with the support of JNES, Japan is the host country for this important international conference. We also know that this is the result of great cooperation and efforts made by the staff at the IAEA and many stakeholders from related countries. Therefore, I would like to take this opportunity to express my deep appreciation to Mr. Denis Flory from the IAEA, and to everyone else who made this conference possible.

WORLD SITUATION, NUCLEAR RENAISSANCE AND THE JAPANESE CONTRIBUTION

As Senior Vice Minister Tadahiro Matsushita told us, in order to address global warming and energy security issues, nuclear energy is now being re-evaluated internationally — as we call it, the ‘nuclear renaissance’. Under these circumstances, the role of the IAEA is becoming more and more important in securing global nuclear safety and security. In Japan, we have been making human resource and financial contributions to the IAEA’s activities, including education. For example, Japan has been a leading country in establishing a nuclear safety network and in improving the level of nuclear security in Asia for the last ten years.

Also, Japan has a tremendous amount of experience and knowledge concerning seismic safety, and when the IAEA started the International Seismic Safety Centre, we were deeply involved and have been making special human resource and financial contributions to the activity. And we will continuously support the IAEA’s safety related activities.

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LACK OF HUMAN RESOURCES IN NUCLEAR POWER

A challenge we face is that the lack of human resources in the nuclear field is a serious issue that is growing and becoming more global. This lack of human resources can directly influence nuclear safety, and we must take immediate measures to address this issue.

At the same time, those countries that have a lot of experience with the peaceful use of atomic energy, including Japan, are working with the IAEA and other organizations to support newcomer countries with assistance in nuclear safety and security. However, resources for such support are limited.

SIGNIFICANCE OF TSOs

Because of this, the role of TSOs is expected to become increasingly important in the future. There is often a gap between the desired safety level and the resources to secure that required level in the regulatory bodies. The TSO is the organization that is expected to fill that gap with its technical and professional skills.

It is also an important TSO role to conduct safety research on technical infrastructure development, in order to handle new regulatory challenges. In many ways, TSOs have become absolutely imperative to securing nuclear safety.

The resolution made at the IAEA’s General Conference in September promotes better understanding of the significance of TSOs, and we are hoping such an understanding of TSOs in each country will be enhanced through this conference.

USE OF TSOs BY NEWCOMER COUNTRIES IN BUILDING SAFETY INFRASTRUCTURE

To support nuclear safety infrastructure development in newcomer countries, there are high expectations on the TSOs of the nuclear developed countries that can provide effective support tools, including human resources development capabilities. TSO support tools should be effectively and efficiently shared around the world, and these tools should facilitate the development of the infrastructure for nuclear safety and security, such as capacity building in newcomer countries. TSOs around the world should enhance the Global Nuclear Safety and Security Network and address the challenges together.

If each emerging nuclear power country can introduce technical and regulatory systems appropriately, the outcome, which is safety, will be enjoyed

OPENING SESSION

internationally. We share the same nuclear power destiny on a global level. If there is a weakness in a safety and security programme somewhere on our planet, and if there is an accident or incident, wherever it is, it will stop nuclear power development worldwide.

Nuclear developed countries, which have long and rich experience in nuclear power, such as Japan, are expected to support emerging nuclear power countries with nuclear safety and security, and we believe that utilizing TSO resources effectively in each country is a realistic approach.

ROLE OF TSOs FROM THE POINT OF VIEW OF THE REGULATORY BODIES

Let me take a few minutes to explain the regulatory body in Japan. NISA is a regulatory body, and we have a very good relationship with JNES, which is a TSO that supports our regulatory activities directly.

NISA has about 450 staff, engaged not only with nuclear power but also with other regulations, and JNES has about 420 experts, supporting mainly safety related regulations in nuclear power. JNES is capable of taking a partial role in safety evaluation and investigation, and NISA and JNES share roles to ensure safety.

For example, in safety evaluations, when the operators submit their safety analyses, JNES conducts cross-check studies on them; based on those results, NISA evaluates the validity of the safety analyses of the operators. With regard to safety investigations, JNES is the main body to conduct periodic safety management reviews, checking how the licensees manage their system. And NISA makes evaluations based on the results given by JNES.

Also, JNES works on severe accident response and risk information sharing, so they have well established technical infrastructure with which to respond to new regulatory challenges. As my few examples show, JNES contributes to improving the nuclear safety levels in Japan by technically supporting regulatory activities and by establishing technical infrastructure.

We believe that regulatory bodies and TSOs working closely together to improve domestic safety and security standards is one effective model to maximize the competency of TSOs.

CONCLUSION

Last but not least, I hope this second international TSO conference will be a

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participants will share and implement the outcome of this conference in their future activities.

October is a very good time to be in Tokyo. While you are here, I hope everyone will create a cooperative human network, deepen international communication and enjoy the Japanese culture.

OPENING ADDRESS

A.-C. Lacoste