Japan Press Weekly

Tweet

2011 December 7 - 13 [NUCLEAR CRISIS]

Radioactive research distorted

Overcome discrimination and oppression (part 8)

At the Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute (JAERI), researchers organized a liaison conference and used to voluntarily hold study meetings and proactively express their opinions. Since around 1964, the JAERI began to meddle in these voluntary activities and obstruct researchers’ freedom of research.

Oppression and punishment

Oppression escalated after JAERI director Munakata Eiji, who set up a pro-administration labor union at Takasaki Laboratory, took office as the chief director in 1968. Tateno Jun, ex-JAERI researcher and former professor at Chuo University, said, “Researchers who collected signatures against the construction of a nuclear fuel reprocessing plant of the Power Reactor and Nuclear Fuel Development Corporation (PNC) were ostracized, and those involved in disclosing accidents were punished. That period was described as a time of a ‘reign of terror,’ because no one was able to speak freely.”

In November 1968, the research lab newsletter disclosed that accidents involving fuel leaks occurred one after another at the first domestically-constructed nuclear reactor (JRR-3). The JAERI in February 1969 punished those related to the disclosure, including suspension of employment and job transfer, saying that the article distorted the facts and caused the protest by fuel producer Hitachi Ltd.

The research was distorted under suppression from JAERI and its control. The adverse effects appeared most seriously in the research of safety.

Nakajima Tokunosuke (deceased), who was once the JAERI labor union chair, received a strong warning in June 1963 for publishing an article on accidents at nuclear power institutes in the monthly magazine “Science.” Nakajima, who was also a member of the Science Council of Japan (SCJ), was greatly respected by researchers.

In 1974, a radiation leak accident took place at the nuclear-powered ship Mutsu. Nakajima was asked to participate in a safety research committee, which was set up in January 1977 by the Nagasaki prefectural governor for the purpose of confirming the safety of ship maintenance at Sasebo Port in Nagasaki. However, the JAERI did not allow Nakajima to attend the committee meeting, and cut his wages for absenting himself from work to attend the meeting without permission. This was covered by the media as a major issue, and the governmental Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) chair was finally called in for mediation between Nakajima and the JAERI.

Safety research budget squeezed

The researchers had to face not only the threat of penalty but also the threat of budget cutbacks. As regards light water reactors which were built across the country, the government regarded them as having no problems because the technology was tried and tested. This caused the neglect of research into the safety of nuclear reactors.

Ex-JAERI researcher Ichikawa Fujio explained, “We no longer could do any research under the heading of safety. The new heading given was safety verification test. New ideas for greater safety were killed. No budgets were allocated to pursue such ideas.”

The Fukushima Daiichi NPP accident occurred with the background that no curbs were imposed on the policy of promoting nuclear power generation.

The reorganized JAERI labor union chair Iwai Takashi stated, “It is time for the government to break with the ‘safety myths’ and to change its fundamental assessment of nuclear energy.”

(To be continued)

PREVIOUS > (Part 7)