Press Releases
IAEA Response and Assistance Network (RANET) Capacity Building Centre’s Workshop on Monitoring during a Nuclear or Radiological Emergency held in Fukushima
(Photo: Tokyo Electric Power Company)
The IAEA Response and Assistance Network (RANET) Capacity Building Centre (CBC) has been designated in Fukushima Prefecture, based on the Practical Arrangement between the IAEA and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs outlined in the " Memorandum of Cooperation between Fukushima Prefecture and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)" signed in December 2012, and has conducted 33 activities such as workshops related to the response to nuclear or radiological emergency. Taking into account the experiences and lessons learned from the Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) ’s Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station accident, the Government of Japan has contributed to international nuclear safety by supporting activities at the CBC.
From October 5 to 9, a "Workshop on Monitoring during a Nuclear or Radiological Emergency," marking the 34th activity of the CBC, was held, joined by 17 experts from 11 IAEA member states—Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Cyprus, Jordan, Latvia, Malaysia, Poland, Portugal and Ukraine.
- The main purpose of this workshop is to train participants in conducting radiation monitoring and to share expertise in public protective actions in response to nuclear or radiological incidents and emergencies. The training included field exercises in currently uninhabited evacuated areas following the 2011 TEPCO’s Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station accident, as well as lectures on the environmental characteristics of release of radioactive materials during a severe emergency, public protection during radiological emergencies, radiological monitoring during an emergency, gamma dose rate measurements, and more.
- Through this workshop, it is expected that the cooperation between Japan and the IAEA will be reinforced and that nuclear and radiological emergency preparedness and response (EPR) capability of the IAEA member states will be further enhanced.
- Additionally, following the workshop held in March this year, multiple Ukrainian experts participated in this workshop. The Government of Japan, through the IAEA, has been providing support to Ukraine which is threatened by nuclear safety due to Russia’s aggression. It is expected that this workshop will contribute to strengthening Ukraine's response capabilities in nuclear and radiological emergencies. Furthermore, Japan’s experience and expertise gained through the decommissioning of TEPCO’s Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station are expected to be utilized in the decommissioning of the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant.
(Reference1) Response and Assistance Network (RANET)
RANET is a network for providing international assistance, upon request, in the case of a nuclear accident or radiological emergency, established following the resolution adopted at the IAEA General Conference in September 2000 as a tool for implementing the Convention on Assistance in the Case of a Nuclear Accident or Radiological Emergency. As of February 2023 RANET is comprised of 41 countries.
