Japan Nuclear Human Resource Development Network Annual Meeting
February 10, 2016
Iino Hall & Conference Center, Tokyo, Japan

Securing and Developing Human Resources for
Nuclear Utilization:
Initiatives and Prospects
Yoshiaki Oka
ChairmanJapan Atomic Energy Commission
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Contents
1. Main initiatives of the Japan Atomic Energy
Commission (JAEC)(1) “Framework for Nuclear Energy Policy” (JAEC, October 11, 2005)(2) “Evaluation of Basic Concepts for Initiatives to Develop and Secure
Human Resources as Defined in the Framework for Nuclear Energy Policy”(JAEC, August 17, 2010)(3) “Promotion of Measures to Secure and Develop Human Resources for
Nuclear Energy (Statement)” (JAEC, November 27, 2012)(4) “Basic Principle for Nuclear Utilization”

2. Current understanding and future initiatives andprospects2

1. Main initiatives of the Japan Atomic Energy Commission (JAEC)(1) “Framework for Nuclear Energy Policy” (JAEC, October 11, 2005)
This describes the importance of developing and securing high-quality
human resources, which are necessary for supporting efforts to pursue
research and development and utilization of nuclear energy while ensuring
its safety.

Content relating to human resources in the “Framework forNuclear Energy Policy”

Chapter2, 2-1. Assurance of Safety
Chapter2, 2-4. Developing and Securing Human Resources
Chapter4, 4-3. Development of the Knowledge and Information Base
Chapter4, 4-4. Establishment of the Japan Atomic Energy Agency andResearch and Development of Nuclear Energy
Chapter5, 5-1. Maintenance and Strengthening of the Nuclear NonProliferation Regime
Chapter5, 5-2-1. Cooperation with Developing Countries
Chapter5, 5-3. International Development of Nuclear Industry

31. Main initiatives of the Japan Atomic Energy Commission (JAEC)(2) “Evaluation of Basic Concepts for Initiatives to Develop and Secure
Human Resources as Defined in the Framework for Nuclear Energy Policy”(JAEC, August 17, 2010)
This document outlines the expectations of the activities of the “JapanNuclear Human Resource Development Network” relating to humanresource development and associated international cooperation in higher
education, as well as the expected efforts of the concerned organizations, inthe form of a recommendation. In pursuing these efforts, the concernedorganizations are expected to continue to respect these basic concepts.
Recommendations in “Evaluation of Basic Concepts for Initiatives to Develop andSecure Human Resources as Defined in the Framework for Nuclear Energy Policy”(JAEC, August 17, 2010)

1) Improving workplace environments
2) Developing and securing human resources for the nuclear energy industry
3) Improving education in institutes of higher education
4) Developing and securing human resources to engage in research and development inuniversities and R&D institutes5) Developing and securing human resources capable of working actively in internationalsettings
6) International cooperation in human resource development
7) Developing and securing human resources to work in regulatory bodies
8) Thorough implementation of PDCA cycles

41. Main initiatives of the Japan Atomic Energy Commission (JAEC)

Viewpoints on nuclear human resource development

Shunsuke Kondo: At the inaugural meeting of the Japan Nuclear Human
Resource Development Network (November 2010)

 Activities that contribute to the development of universal
human resources that can work effectively in internationalsettings
 Activities that are undertaken both domestically andinternationally (i.e., not limited to Japan)
 All organizations are for learning and education. Incorporatemechanisms for training and educating people at all levels.
 Human resource development is not a problem that lies
outside an organization; it is a challenge that is essential tothe survival of an organization.
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1. Main initiatives of the Japan Atomic Energy Commission (JAEC)(3) “ Promotion of Measures to Secure and Develop Human Resources for
Nuclear Energy (Statement) ” (JAEC, November 27, 2012)
This document summarizes important points for initiatives aimed atsecuring and developing human resources for the nuclear energy industry inlight of the accident at TEPCO’s Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant
following the Great East Japan Earthquake, with expectations that all partiesconcerned will steadily pursue the necessary initiatives, paying close
attention to these points.
Points to Note in the “Promotion of Measures to Secure and Develop Human Resources for Nuclear
Energy (Statement)” (Japan Atomic Energy Commission, November 27, 2012)
1) Prospective analysis of demand-supply gaps of nuclear human resources2) Nuclear education in educational institutes based on lessons learned from the accident atFukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant
3) Enhancing opportunities for nuclear education in educational institutes4) Improving educational programs on Radiation
5) Providing new education opportunities for mid-career experts
6) Human resource development for nuclear safety, security and safeguards
7) Enhanced incentives for nuclear businesses8) Education about radiation risk
9) Securing human resources for maintaining the operation of domestic nuclear power plants10) Human resource development for the international deployment of nuclear energy andtechnology
611) Education about energy and environmental issues

1. Main initiatives of the Japan Atomic Energy Commission (JAEC)(4) Review of “Basic Concepts for Nuclear Utilization”
The key characteristics of this document, which are also expected toinvolve human resource development, are enumerated below.
 Describes broad directions and goals for the medium to long termin Japan for nuclear energy R&D and use, radiation use, etc.
 Describes the directions of efforts by concerned organizations andserves as a foundation to enable the Japan Atomic Energy
Commission to fulfill its duties. It also defines measures insufficiently concrete terms for achieving these goals.
 Suggests future directions, while respecting the “Strategic EnergyPlan” that serves as government policy and incorporating a broad
vision of nuclear energy issues
72. Current understanding and future initiatives and prospects
 It is understood that each concerned organization is executing reviews
and initiatives according to its role based on the recommendations of theJapan Atomic Energy Commission. In addition, five years have passed
since the start of activities under the framework set up by the Japan
Nuclear Human Resource Development Network (established inNovember 2010), and these activities are recognized to have been
pursued actively in partnership and cooperation with each concernedorganization.
 In addition to pursuing the initiatives conducted up to now more
efficiently and effectively, based on a grasp of current conditions
surrounding nuclear energy, efforts focused on the key goals of“university education,” “continuing education,” and “knowledge transfer”
and efforts at “integration with R&D” are also vital.
 It is expected that each concerned organization will make effective use of
the framework of the Japan Nuclear Human Resource Development
Network, to consolidate efforts aimed at securing and developing humanresources for the nuclear energy industry, in accordance to need.
 It is expected that each organization works for creating useful andeffective products
82. Current understanding and future initiatives and prospects○Securing high-quality human resources

・Energy is an essential industry that enjoys stable demand. It is also a state-of-the-art field thatutilizes nuclear science
・Canvassing at high schools and universities, offering career paths, creatively expressing the appeal of
nuclear energy, creating and sharing posters
・Soliciting and securing high-quality human resources (government-funded overseas students, postdocs) from emerging countries and collaborating in various kinds of international activities○Developing human resources with an understanding and mastery of thefundamentals

・Emphasis on exercises and experiments, sufficient educational materials? It is necessary to provide
research reactors and other facilities for practical training.
・What about incorporating education improvement mechanisms (in the United States, there are ABET
accreditation, class assessments, and reaching out to teachers’ reflections), JABEE?
・Internships both in Japan and overseas○Human resource development, through raising the skills of hired personnel,continuing education, and work programs

・Education of human resources with specialist skills, aim to be the best in the world, withinternational experience too
・ Development of human resources with broad expertise and vision
・ Development of human resources with management capabilities, ISO 9000 certification?
・ Adopt 10-step continuing education program up to chairman level in private companies
・ Improve specialist and comprehensive capabilities by creating reports and explanations, preparing
R&D plans, etc.
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2. Current understanding and future initiatives and prospects○Knowledge and experience transfer

・On-the-job training (OJT): Transfer of experience with handling long power outages, and designing,
manufacturing, and building nuclear power plants
・Addressing the need to transfer the knowledge of engineers. The issue of the decline in the birthrate and popularization of higher education in Japan also needs to be taken into account.
・Utilizing skilled senior personnel; accumulating and sharing good practices for knowledge transfer○Acquiring and certifying qualifications, collaborating on continuing education,
collaborating with international organizations
・Addressing Japanese qualifications (e.g., Chief Engineer, Professional Engineer) and international
qualifications
・Developing human resources who can work in international organizations: Accumulation ofknowledge and experience and personal networks
・Collaborating and sharing information with international organizations (e.g., IAEA), especially on
management○Trying to keep in mind the product (results to be acquired) for competitive
funding for human resource development

・Clarifying effectiveness and value of results and the requirements that a graduate should acquire・Should not focus excessively on events
・Can a human resource development infrastructure be set up?

○It is necessary to set up infrastructure for R&D and human resource
development. Addressing the need.
○It is impossible to achieve effective human resource development in the short
10term10

2. Current understanding and future initiatives and prospects
Examples of initiatives at “Integration with R&D”
○Research for undergraduate, Master’s and Doctoral theses [Integration withUniversity Research and Education]○Human resource development and skill learning through R&D [Education
Function of Research Labs]○Effectiveness of human resource development through competitive funding forR&D

References○United States Department of Energy: (1) Nuclear Energy University Program (NEUP, 68
projects, 31 million USD): Graduate students participate in research; (2) Infrastructuredevelopment (Research reactors at 9 universities, 3.5 million USD), etc.
○European Community: Human resource development within the HORIZON 2020 program,nd andoperatingonacreatedplatform[SNETP,
6fields,ofwhich
8themeson
NUGENIA[23rd generation reactors], open to participation from outside the EU○Also supporting collaboration work [platform] through competitive funding○Taking in foreign human resources and offering them career paths, and sending
Japanese researchers overseas○In relation to radiation, it is necessary to develop cross-disciplinary applications
and human resources with outside nuclear industry.

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Thank you for your attention

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