Mental health measures for the staff of nuclear research and development institution mobilized in dealing with residents during the nuclear disaster caused by the Great East Japan Earthquake

Tomotsune, Yusuke; Yajima, Mayumi; Okuno, Hiroshi; Yamamoto, Kazuya

Rodo Anzen Eisei Kenkyu, 16(1), p.29 - 43, 2023/02

https://doi.org/10.2486/josh.JOSH-2021-0017-JI

During the first year of the accident at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station caused by the Great East Japan Earthquake in March 2011, a total of about 45,000 employees of Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) left their original workplaces to engage in telephone counseling, assistance of temporary return, and environmental monitoring. In particular, the staff who worked on the telephone counseling service, which directly contacted the residents, suffered from the stress associated with emotional labor. Systematic mental health care to the staff who engaged in these tasks was provided them in the Nuclear Fuel Cycle Engineering Laboratories of the JAEA. This paper considers this activity as a concrete example of "support for supporters" and discusses the mental health of the staff who provide support to the residents in a nuclear disaster.

Outline of Regional Workshops held in 2006 - 2017 by the International Atomic Energy Agency in the proposal of Nuclear Emergency Preparedness Group of the Asian Nuclear Safety Network

Okuno, Hiroshi; Yamamoto, Kazuya

JAEA-Review 2020-066, 32 Pages, 2021/02

JAEA-Review-2020-066.pdf:3.01MB

The International Atomic Energy Agency (abbreviated as IAEA) has been implementing the Asian Nuclear Safety Network (abbreviated as ANSN) activities since 2002. As part of this effort, Topical Group on Emergency Preparedness and Response (abbreviated as EPRTG) for nuclear or radiation disasters was established in 2006 under the umbrella of the ANSN. Based on the EPRTG proposal, the IAEA conducted 23 Asian regional workshops in the 12 years from 2006 to 2017. Typical topical fields of the regional workshops were nuclear emergency drills, emergency medical care, long-term response after nuclear/radiological emergency, international cooperation, national nuclear disaster prevention system. The Japan Atomic Energy Agency has produced coordinators for EPRTG since its establishment and has led its activities since then. This report summarizes the Asian regional workshops conducted by the IAEA based on the recommendations of the EPRTG.

Registration and related activities of the Japan Atomic Energy Agency for the response and assistance network of the International Atomic Energy Agency

Togawa, Orihiko; Hayakawa, Tsuyoshi; Tanaka, Tadao; Yamamoto, Kazuya; Okuno, Hiroshi

JAEA-Review 2020-017, 36 Pages, 2020/09

JAEA-Review-2020-017.pdf:2.24MB

In 2010, the government of Japan joined the Response and Assistance Network (RANET) of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), in order to contribute to offering international assistance in the case of a nuclear accident or radiological emergency. At that occasion, the Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) was registered as the National Assistance Capability (NAC) having resources capable of the External Based Support (EBS) in the following seven areas: (1) aerial survey, (2) radiation monitoring, (3) environmental measurements, (4) assessment and advice, (5) internal dose assessment, (6) bioassay and (7) dose reconstruction. After the registration, three inquiries were directed to the JAEA about a possibility of its support. However, the JAEA's assistance has not eventually been realized. On the other hand, the JAEA participated almost every year in the international Convention Exercise (ConvEx) carried out by the IAEA in connection with RANET. This report describes an outline of the RANET and related activities of the JAEA for RANET registration and participation in the ConvEx.

Evaluation of temperature rise caused by AC loss due to plasma disruption in joint of JT-60SA poloidal field coil

Nakamura, Kazuya*; Yamamoto, Yusuke*; Suzuki, K.*; Takao, Tomoaki*; Murakami, Haruyuki; Natsume, Kyohei; Yoshida, Kiyoshi

IEEE Transactions on Applied Superconductivity, 25(3), p.4200704_1 - 4200704_4, 2015/06

https://doi.org/10.1109/TASC.2014.2364317

Development of a compact vertical splitting system for the cold neutron beam at JRR-3

Tamura, Itaru; Maruyama, Ryuji; Yamazaki, Dai; Nakamura, Kiyoshi; Yamamoto, Kazuyoshi; Aizawa, Kazuya; Soyama, Kazuhiko

Journal of Physics; Conference Series, 528, p.012012_1 - 012012_7, 2014/07

https://doi.org/10.1088/1742-6596/528/1/012012

To achieve efficient implementation of usage of neutron beam instruments, the instruments were rearranged at C2 cold neutron beam line at JRR-3 by using a newly developed compact vertical splitting system. The splitting system has two compact multi channel benders. The bender has been developed using Ni/Ti supermirrors coated on both sides of 0.2 mm thickness silicon substrates. The curvature radius of the bender is 938 mm and the length of the bender is 320 mm yielding deflection angles of 20. Supermirrors with m=3 were deposited on both sides of silicon substrate by an ion beam sputtering apparatus in JAEA. Neutron flux at the end of the neutron guide that installed at the bender exit of which the deflection angle is 20 was measured by the gold foil activation method. It was measured 1.58 10 n/cm/s. The present study showed that the supermirrors coated on both sides with high reflectivity are suitable for the compact bender.

Annual report of Nuclear Emergency Assistance and Training Center (April 1, 2012 - March 31, 2013)

Sato, Takeshi; Muto, Shigeo; Okuno, Hiroshi; Katagiri, Hiromi; Akiyama, Kiyomitsu; Okamoto, Akiko; Koie, Masahiro; Ikeda, Takeshi; Nemotochi, Toshimasa; Saito, Toru; et al.

JAEA-Review 2013-046, 65 Pages, 2014/02

JAEA-Review-2013-046.pdf:11.18MB

When a nuclear emergency occurs in Japan, the Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) has the responsibility of providing technical support to the National government, local governments, police, fire stations and nuclear operators etc., because the JAEA has been designated as the Designated Public Institution under the Basic Act on Disaster Control Measures and the Act on Response to Armed Attack Situations, etc.. The Nuclear Emergency Assistance and Training Center (NEAT) of JAEA provides a comprehensive range of technical support activities to an Off-Site Center in case of a nuclear emergency. Specifically, NEAT gives technical advice and information, dispatches specialists as required, and supplies the National Government and local governments with emergency equipments and materials. NEAT provides various exercise and training courses concerning nuclear disaster prevention to those personnel taking an active part in emergency response organizations at normal times. The tasks of NEAT, with its past experiences as a designated public institution including the responses to TEPCO's Fukushima Accident, have been shifted to technical supports to the national government for strengthening its abilities to emergency responses; the NEAT therefore focused on maintenance and operation of its functions, and strengthening its response abilities in cooperation with the national government. This annual report summarized these activities of JAEA/NEAT in the fiscal year 2012.

Basic concept of the nuclear emergency preparedness and response in Japan after the accident of the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Station; The Plain explanation for regional officials and emergency workers

Sato, Sohei; Yamamoto, Kazuya

JAEA-Review 2013-015, 89 Pages, 2013/07

JAEA-Review-2013-015.pdf:14.79MB

After the accident of TEPCO's Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Station occurred on March 11, 2011, actions for controlling the accident and protective actions for the residents like evacuation were taken. In parallel with this, it has been developed to reform the nuclear regulatory systems and the emergency preparedness and response systems in Japan. Especially the Nuclear Regulation Authority's Nuclear Emergency Preparedness and Response Guidelines were adopted with the introducing the basic concepts and the criteria on the basis of the IAEA's safety standards and differed greatly from the prior guidelines. Thus the arrangement of emergency response systems, resources and the operational procedures will be developed complying with according to the guidelines in municipalities around the nuclear power station sites. This work attempts to provide a plain explanation as possible for the regional officials and emergency workers about the basic concepts of the new guidelines.

The Evaluation of "the drill of evacuation with family car" conducted in the Ibaraki Prefecture Comprehensive Nuclear Disaster Exercise 2010

Kawakami, Takeshi; Yamamoto, Kazuya; Fukumoto, Masahiro

JAEA-Technology 2011-042, 56 Pages, 2012/03

JAEA-Technology-2011-042.pdf:3.17MB

This work evaluated the dynamic traffic flow of evacuees' cars during the evacuation drill with family car conducted in the Ibaraki Prefecture Comprehensive Nuclear Disaster Exercise 2010. The opinion survey was also conducted to participants to get the data of choice of measures for evacuation. Consideration based on the survey of this drill revealed important outcomes as follows. (1) The evacuation routes should be chosen more than one per one residential district from the roads including low capacity road to ease traffic congestion and to secure substitute route. (2) Taking into account traffic control and guiding at the intersections on the evacuation routes by policemen and staffs is very important to make the vehicles of evacuees running smoothly. (3) Considering of the capacity and the gate size of the parking of reception center is very important to make the stream of vehicles smooth when Reception centers are chosen. (4) Considering of the effect from experiments of participants is important for the opinion surveys to get the choice of measures of evacuation. (5) The opinion surveys about evacuation from nuclear disaster should be done in the wide area including the outside of the evacuation zone.

Annual report of Nuclear Emergency Assistance and Training Center (April 1, 2010 - March 31, 2011)

Katagiri, Hiromi; Okuno, Hiroshi; Sawahata, Masayoshi; Ikeda, Takeshi; Sato, Sohei; Terakado, Naoya; Nagakura, Tomohiro; Nakanishi, Chika; Fukumoto, Masahiro; Yamamoto, Kazuya; et al.

JAEA-Review 2011-037, 66 Pages, 2011/12

JAEA-Review-2011-037.pdf:4.52MB

When a Nuclear emergency occurs, Nuclear Emergency Assistance & Training Center (NEAT) of JAEA gives technical advice and information, dispatch specialists as required, supplies emergency equipment and materials to the National Government and local governments. NEAT provides various lectures and training courses concerning nuclear disaster prevention for those personnel taking an active part in emergency response organizations at normal time. NEAT also researches on nuclear disaster prevention and cooperates with international organizations. Concerning about the assistance to the Accident of Fukushima No.1 Nuclear Power Station caused by the Great East Japan Earthquake at 11 March, 2011, JAEA assisted activities including environmental radiation monitoring, environmental radioactivity analyses, resident public consulting etc., with its full scale effort. NEAT served as the center of these supporting activities of JAEA.

The Evaluation of the drill of evacuation with family car, the drill of evacuation for the disabled with family car and the evacuation drill from the large enclosure conducted in national comprehensive nuclear disaster exercise 2009

Kawakami, Takeshi; Yamamoto, Kazuya; Fukumoto, Masahiro

JAEA-Technology 2010-024, 83 Pages, 2010/08

JAEA-Technology-2010-024.pdf:3.88MB

"Drill of evacuation with family car", "Drill of evacuation for the disabled with family car", and "Evacuation drill from the large enclosure" had been conducted in the National Comprehensive Nuclear Disaster Exercise on December 21st and 22nd, 2009 in Ibaraki Prefecture. This work evaluated the dynamic traffic flow of evacuees' cars during the evacuation drill using three kinds of data, i.e. questionnaire for the participants in the evacuation drill, GPS tracking data of vehicles of evacuees, and photographies shot from the air and ground. The fluctuations of traffic volume influenced by traffic controls for the outside of evacuation zone was evaluated using the traffic volume data which were provided by Ibaraki prefecture. The opinion survey was also conducted to participants of evacuation drill for three purposes, to get the data of choice of measures for evacuation, to find out problems of evacuation for the disabled, to find out problems of evacuation from the large enclosure.