Message from the President

President Shojiro MATSUURA

We sincerely thank you for your understanding and continued support of our research anddevelopment activities. Since the foundation of the Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA), thispublication has been brought out every year with the intention of informing you of the day-to-day
accomplishments of the JAEA.
As the only research institute in Japan dedicated to comprehensive nuclear research anddevelopment, the JAEA plays a primary role in steadily promoting research and developmentin nuclear technology and, in the wake of the accident at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear
Power Station of Tokyo Electric Power Company, Incorporated (TEPCO), has focused oninvesting efforts toward the recovery of the damaged reactor site and the reconstruction ofthe affected area. Furthermore, with serious consideration of the fact that we have not beensuccessful in the maintenance of the prototype fast breeder reactor Monju and in preventing
the radioactive material leak at the Hadron Experimental Facility of Japan Proton Accelerator
Research Complex (J-PARC), we are in the process of promoting activities for establishing asafety culture in accordance with the fundamental policies of Japanese government. Moreover,the employees are working as a unit towards a structural reform for restoring the trust ofsociety in the institute, in accordance with the plan that the JAEA prescribed.
More than two and a half years have passed since the accident at the TEPCO’s Fukushima
Daiichi Nuclear Power Station; in this time, the JAEA has been engaged in post-accident
environmental remediation and decommissioning of the damaged reactors by fully utilizing
the integrated capability of the scientific and technical experts and its research facilities. To
deal with the environmental pollution by radioactive materials, Fukushima Environmental
Safety Center, of the Headquarters of Fukushima Partnership Operations, has been set up
as the base of our operations. Here, we have performed research and development activities
such as analyses of soil and water, tests accompanying decontamination such as the controlof amount and volume reduction of the contaminated waste from the soil after the accident,
demonstration tests on a decontamination model in high-dose regions, and studies on
decontamination efficacy evaluation methods. In addition, for research and development
related to the decommissioning of units 1 to 4 of the TEPCO’s Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear
Power Station, we have promoted tests on the long-term integrity of the fuel assembly inthe spent fuel storage pool, the characterization of the fuel debris for the preparation of its
removal, and the treatment and disposal of radioactive waste caused by the accident.

For future research and development of the fast breeder reactor cycle technology, including
Monju, we will proceed in accordance with the review of the nuclear energy policy ofJapanese government. We will prioritize the safety of Monju and will also perform operations
management and work toward international standardization of the safety design requirements
of fast breeder reactors. Moreover, for the activities on the backend of nuclear energy
utilization, which are necessary irrespective of the future nuclear energy policy, we have
performed research and development on decommissioning, and the treatment and disposal ofradioactive waste.
In the research and development aimed at the practical utilization of nuclear fusion energy,
we, as a domestic agency/implementing agency of Japan under roles based on the internationalframework (ITER Project/BA activity), have been promoting our operations using the world’s
most advanced technologies along the plan that the JAEA prescribed. As part of the researchand development on quantum beam science, we have been producing a variety of results inareas ranging from the fundamentals of science and technology to industrial applications,through various quantum beam facility groups owned by the JAEA. Moreover, we haverecognized that ensuring nuclear safety is an important step in the use of nuclear power, andwe have diligently conducted nuclear safety research for the improvement of safety in theutilization of nuclear energy. In addition, we have promoted a wide variety of engineeringresearch activities, which will serve as the basis in the development of nuclear energy
utilization in Japan; these activities have led to many accomplishments.
Hereafter, we are steadily proceeding with structural reforms in accordance with the planthat the JAEA has set forth. With the increased expectations toward the JAEA’s role in nuclear
technology development after the TEPCO’s Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station
accident, we are now actively involved in medium-to-long-term human resource developmentfor nuclear technology, industry–academia–government collaborations, promotion ofinternational cooperation with overseas research institutes, and the dissemination of theachievements made in research and development, without failing to prioritize operations.
We are pleased that you will gain further understanding of the accomplishments of theJAEA through this publication, and we thank you for your continued encouragement andguidance in our research and development activities.