Actions taken by regulatory bodies following the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear accident
The following is a collection of information on activities undertaken nationally and internationally following the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear accident. Regulatory authorities from 23 countries, along with 4 regional and 3 international organisations, have contributed information on national response activities, stress tests reports, and complimentary activities and assessments to the stress tests. This page will be updated periodically as information becomes available.
STUK states that although there is no need for immediate safety improvements, there is reason for power companies to continue investigations into preparation for certain
exceptional natural conditions.
No signicant weaknesses in the licensing regime or gaps in the safety assessment principles were found and there is no reason for curtailing the operation of nuclear facilities in the UK. Further, there is no need to revise the siting strategies or to depart from the multi-plant site concept for new nuclear power stations in the UK. There is no evidence to suggest that the presence of MOX fuel in the unit 3 reactor at Fukushima significantly contributed to the health impact of the accident on or off the site.
“Our inspectors found all the reactors would be kept safe even in the event their regular safety systems were affected by these events, although a few plants have to do a better job maintaining the necessary resources and procedures,” said Eric Leeds
30 March 2011: Information Notice 2011:-08, sent to Fuel Cycle Facilities, Tohoku-Taiheiyou-Oki Earthquake Effects on Japanese NPPs - for Fuel Cycle Facilities 23 March 2011: Staff Requirements Memorandum, (Tasking of the staff for a reactor review)
NEA meets with Japanese officials to discuss nuclear safety regulatory organisations
On 17-18 January 2012, an NEA team of international experts met in Tokyo with members of the Japanese Advisory Committee for Prevention of Nuclear Accidents and the special Japanese Task Force for the Reform of Nuclear Safety Regulations and Organisations to foster increased understanding of various national regulatory organisations and approaches to regulatory oversight of nuclear power facilities. Experts from Japan, France, Korea, the United Kingdom, the United States the OECD Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA) and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) participated in an experts’ meeting on concepts and characteristics important to regulatory organisations and an international public workshop on nuclear safety regulation. Participants discussed different approaches to reforming areas recommended by the Advisory Committee, such as those concerning independence, regulatory oversight, crisis management, human resources and development, new safety regulations, transparency and international aspects for regulatory organisations.
16-18 November 2011: An NEA team of international experts met in Tokyo with the Japanese Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency (NISA) and the Japan Nuclear Energy Safety Organisation (JNES) to foster a better understanding by NISA and JNES of other NEA member countries' post-Fukushima national safety reviews (or "stress tests"), international guidance and review methodologies. The programme included a technical experts’ meeting for sharing information on national reviews, an international seminar on stress tests with the Japanese nuclear industry and public, and a meeting with an advisory committee supporting the regulatory reviews of licensee analyses as part of the Japanese stress tests. This mission was part of the NEA’s ongoing commitment to support Japan following the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear accident Presentations were made by Finland (Part 1 and Part 2), France (Part 1 and Part 2), Korea, the UK (Part 1 and Part 2), the US (Part 1 and Part 2), the NEA, the IAEA, and Japan.
16 - 17 November 2011: Technical Experts' Meeting
17 November 2011: International Seminar on National Assessments and Stress Tests
18 November 2011: Extended Advisory Committee Meeting on Stress Tests
EU Announces on 25 May 2011: that starting on 1 June 2011:, all 143 nuclear power plants in the EU will be re-assessed using EU wide criteria in response to the Fukushima Daiichi accident.
Licensees will be requested to provide a progress report on their reassessments by 15 August, with a final report by 31 October 2011:. Responsible regulatory authorities will provide National Reports on the independent review of the reassessments performed by the licensees with a progress report by 15 September and a final report by 31 December 2011:.
ENSREG will provide a progress report to the EU Council during the 9 December 2011: meeting, and a consolidated report at the EU Council meeting scheduled for June 2012.
A group of some 20 experts from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and other organizations will visit Japan between 24 May and 2 June. The mission - led by Mike Weightman of the UK's nuclear safety regulator - will make a preliminary assessment of the safety issues linked to the Fukushima accident. During the mission, areas that need further exploration or assessment will be identified. The report for the mission was issued on 16 June 2011: in advance of the Ministerial Conference.
25 October 2011: Press Release, WANO members unanimously approve new commitments to nuclear safety
WANO report SOER 2011:-2, "Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Station Fuel Damage Caused by Earthquake and Tsunami", March 2011:, Limited Distribution (not publically available)
13 June 2011: Press release,
WANO presents at OECD’s NEA forum, 8 June
9 June 2011:, Chip Pardee, Chief Operating Officer, Exelon Generation Company and Chairman, Fukushima Response Steering Committee (FSC Charter) and Tony Pietrangelo, Senior Vice President and Chief Nuclear Officer, NEI announced the U.S. industry’s plans for responding to the Fukushima accidents described in: The Way Forward: U.S. Industry Leadership in Response to the Accidents at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant.