Universities to help prepare for nuclear emergencies

The Yomiuri Shimbun 19 January 2018

An organisation to closely monitor the dispersion of radioactive materials is being set up by universities across Japan that possess radiation facilities, to prepare for possible accidents at nuclear power plants and terrorist attacks using nuclear materials, reports The Yomiuri Shimbun.

In case of emergency, experts at these universities will collect data for such purposes as evacuating residents and providing medical treatment to people exposed to radioactive materials. They will also be in charge of providing explanations for residents. Ten universities, including Nagasaki University and the University of Tokyo, have already decided to join the project and will seek more universities to join, aiming to establish the organisation within several years.

In the 2011 nuclear accident at Tokyo Electric Power Co Holdings Inc’s Fukushima number one nuclear power plant, municipalities and other offices measured radioactivity, but they suffered from a shortage of equipment and staff due to the Great East Japan Earthquake. There was confusion among residents, as little information was provided to them. The latest project is intended to address such confusion and concerns by complementing the existing monitoring networks and disseminating accurate information from experts.
Full report on The Japan News site

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