Review of engagement activities to promote awareness of radiation and its associated risk amongst the Japanese public before and after the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident

Sakoda, Akihiro; Nomura, Naoki*; Kuroda, Yujiro*; Kono, Takahiko; Naito, Wataru*; Yoshida, Hiroko*

Journal of Radiological Protection, 41(4), p.1258 - 1287, 2021/12

https://doi.org/10.1088/1361-6498/ac2678

Following the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident, many radiation experts directly experienced a vast gap between ideal and real public understanding (PU) of radiation in risk communication. Therefore, this study collated and reviewed information about PU activities for radiation and its risk that six Japanese academic societies - which seemed to be socially neutral expert communities - related to radiation and radiation risk conducted before and after the accident. Activities these radiation-related societies provided to general public were discussed from the following perspectives: (1) difficulties in two-way communication due to resources, motivation, public interest and concerns; (2) balance between academic research and PU activities; (3) academic societies' building trust with the public whilst ensuring member experts' neutrality and independence; (4) discussions among academic societies to prepare for public engagement. We hope that this paper encourages experts and academic societies in radiation protection to hold more national and international discussions about their roles in public communication and outreach.

Detecting halfmetallic electronic structures of spintronic materials in a magnetic field

Fujiwara, Hidenori*; Umetsu, Rie*; Kuroda, Fumiaki*; Miyawaki, Jun*; Kashiuchi, Toshiyuki*; Nishimoto, Kohei*; Nagai, Kodai*; Sekiyama, Akira*; Irizawa, Akinori*; Takeda, Yukiharu; et al.

Scientific Reports (Internet), 11(1), p.18654_1 - 18654_9, 2021/09

https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-97992-z

Examples of practical activities related to public understanding of radiation risk following the Fukushima nuclear accident

Naito, Wataru*; Uesaka, Motoki*; Kuroda, Yujiro*; Kono, Takahiko; Sakoda, Akihiro; Yoshida, Hiroko*

Radioprotection, 55(4), p.297 - 307, 2020/10

https://doi.org/10.1051/radiopro/2020086

After the Fukushima nuclear accident in Japan, a number of practical activities related to public understanding (PU) of radiation risks were implemented inside and outside Fukushima Prefecture. The various noteworthy approaches and strategies behind those practical activities have not been organized and made explicit thus far. In this study, we have organized the noteworthy practical activities related to PU of radiation risks following the Fukushima nuclear accident, and discussed them mainly from the standpoints of communication strategies and approaches. As several examples demonstrate, efforts to contextualize and localize radiation risk in various forms were observed during post-accident recovery in Fukushima, and these efforts were confirmed, through actual experiences, to be an important component of effective PU activities of radiation risks. Community-based or citizen science approaches, such as having affected residents or citizens to measure radioactivity, have contributed to the PU of radiological situations, but some challenges, such as ethical aspects and the handling of uncertainty, have also been revealed. In the era of information and communications technology, a number of citizens, experts, and agencies have made social media a popular platform for disseminating radiation risk messages to the public and have demonstrated that social media can play an important role in providing radiological risk information. The knowledge and lessons learned from the practical activities discussed in this study can be useful in enhancing PU of risks not only radiation but also other stressors such as toxic chemicals, preparing future disasters and supporting risk communication plans during recovery periods after disasters.

Electronic structure and magnetic properties of the half-metallic ferrimagnet MnVAl probed by soft X-ray spectroscopies

Nagai, Kodai*; Fujiwara, Hidenori*; Aratani, Hidekazu*; Fujioka, Shuhei*; Yomosa, Hiroshi*; Nakatani, Yasuhiro*; Kiss, Takayuki*; Sekiyama, Akira*; Kuroda, Fumiaki*; Fujii, Hitoshi*; et al.

Physical Review B, 97(3), p.035143_1 - 035143_8, 2018/01

AA2017-0644.pdf:1.01MB

https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.97.035143

We have studied the electronic structure of ferrimagnetic MnVAl single crystals by means of soft X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS), X-ray absorption magnetic circular dichroism (XMCD), and resonant soft X-ray inelastic scattering (RIXS). We have successfully observed the XMCD signals for all the constituent elements. The Mn L XAS and XMCD spectra are reproduced by spectral simulations based on density-functional theory, indicating the itinerant character of the Mn 3 states. On the other hand, the V 3 electrons are rather localized since the ionic model can qualitatively explain the V L XAS and XMCD spectra. This picture is consistent with local excitations revealed by the V L RIXS.

Quasiparticle interference on the surface of BiSe induced by cobalt adatom in the absence of ferromagnetic ordering

Ye. M.*; Eremeev, S. V.*; Kuroda, Kenta*; Krasovskii, E. E.*; Chulkov, E. V.*; Takeda, Yukiharu; Saito, Yuji; Okamoto, Kazuaki*; Zhu, S. Y.*; Miyamoto, Koji*; et al.

Physical Review B, 85(20), p.205317_1 - 205317_5, 2012/05

https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.85.205317

no abstracts in English

Mizunami Underground Research Laboratory Project, Annual report for fiscal year 2006

Nishio, Kazuhisa; Matsuoka, Toshiyuki; Mikake, Shinichiro; Tsuruta, Tadahiko; Amano, Kenji; Oyama, Takuya; Takeuchi, Ryuji; Saegusa, Hiromitsu; Hama, Katsuhiro; Yoshida, Haruo*; et al.

JAEA-Review 2009-001, 110 Pages, 2009/03

JAEA-Review-2009-001.pdf:49.84MB

Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) at Tono Geoscience Center (TGC) is developing a geoscientific research project named Mizunami Underground Research Laboratory (MIU) project in crystalline rock environment in order to establish scientific and technological basis for geological disposal of HLW. Geoscientific research at MIU is planned to be carried out in three phases over a period of 20 years; Surface-based Investigation Phase (Phase 1), Construction Phase (Phase 2) and Operation Phase (Phase 3). Currently, the project is under the Construction Phase. This document presents the following results of the research and development performed in 2006 fiscal year, as a part of the Construction Phase based on the MIU Master Plan updated in 2002, (1) Investigation at the MIU Construction Site, (2) Construction at the MIU Construction Site, (3) Research Collaboration.

Mizunami Underground Research Laboratory project program for fiscal year 2007

Nishio, Kazuhisa; Mizuno, Takashi; Oyama, Takuya; Nakama, Shigeo; Saegusa, Hiromitsu; Takeuchi, Ryuji; Amano, Kenji; Tsuruta, Tadahiko; Hama, Katsuhiro; Iyatomi, Yosuke; et al.

JAEA-Review 2007-038, 31 Pages, 2007/12

JAEA-Review-2007-038.pdf:11.5MB

Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) at Tono Geoscience Center (TGC) is developing a geoscientific research project named Mizunami Underground Research Laboratory (MIU) in crystalline rock environment in order to establish scientific and technological basis for geological disposal of HLW. Geoscientific research at MIU is planned to be carried out in three Phases over a period of 20 years; Surface-based Investigation Phase (Phase 1), Construction Phase (Phase 2) and Operation Phase (Phase 3). Currently, the Project is under the Construction Phase. This document presents the following 2007 fiscal year plan of the Construction Phase based on the MIU Master Plan updated in 2002, (1)Investigation Plan at the MIU Construction Site, (2)Construction Plan at the MIU Construction Site, (3)Research Collaboration Plan.

Final report on the surface-based investigation (phase I) at the Mizunami Underground Laboratory project

Saegusa, Hiromitsu; Seno, Yasuhiro; Nakama, Shigeo; Tsuruta, Tadahiko; Iwatsuki, Teruki; Amano, Kenji; Takeuchi, Ryuji; Matsuoka, Toshiyuki; Onoe, Hironori; Mizuno, Takashi; et al.

JAEA-Research 2007-043, 337 Pages, 2007/03

JAEA-Research-2007-043.pdf:28.14MB

The Mizunami Underground Laboratory (MIU) Project is a comprehensive research project investigating the deep underground environment within crystalline rock being conducted by Japan Atomic Energy Agency at Mizunami City in Gifu Prefecture, central Japan. This report summarizes the results of the Surface-based Investigation Phase, identifies future issues and provides direction for research to be conducted during Construction Phase and Operation Phase. The results compiled in this report will be utilized for the technical knowledge base on geological disposal of HLW, and can be used to enhance the technical basis for waste disposal in general and for development of government regulations.

Development of experimental apparatus for evaluating corrosion resistance of clasing materials applied for advanced power reactor, 1

Inohara, Yasuto*; Ioka, Ikuo; Fukaya, Kiyoshi; Tachibana, Katsumi; Suzuki, Tomio; Kiuchi, Kiyoshi; Kuroda, Yuji*; Miyamoto, Satoshi*

JAERI-Tech 2001-021, 22 Pages, 2001/03

JAERI-Tech-2001-021.pdf:3.14MB

no abstracts in English

Report of analysis and evaluation of the fire and explosion incident of bituminization facility

Kuroda, Yoshikatsu*; Nakajima, Atsushi*; Ogata, Junji*; Nakamura, Junichi*; Asada, Kazuo*; Hayashi, Tetsuya*; Obata, Yuji*

PNC TJ8216 98-006, 499 Pages, 1998/03

PNC-TJ8216-98-006.pdf:21.19MB

no abstracts in English