The 46th JAIF Annual Conference
JAIF Chairman’s Address
I am Takashi Imai, chairman of the Japan Atomic Industrial Forum. It’s apleasure for me to open this – our 46th – annual conference.
Two years have passed since the Great East Japan Earthquake. As a result ofthe accident at TEPCO’s Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station, local
residents have been forced into difficult, on-going existences as evacuees.
We express again our sincere sympathy to them.
The Japanese economy is also stagnant – confused by the inconsistent nuclear
policy of the previous government.
Almost all nuclear plants across the country are shut down, and have been forquite some time. The increasing consequences of this are particularlyconspicuous in siting areas.
The trade balance announced in this month was negative for the nine month in arow. The cumulative trade deficit since March 2011, when the earthquake
occurred, is a stunning 12 trillion yen for two years.
Much of that is attributable to substantially increased imports of liquefied natural
gas and crude oil, after operation of all nuclear plants was suspended.
The outflow of national wealth for that purpose is as much as 4 trillion yen peryear.
Following the lead of TEPCO, the Kansai Electric Power Company and theKyushu Electric Power Company have each recently raised power rates. Otherpower utilities are sure to do the same.
Not only is the burden sharply increasing on ordinary families, but Japan’s
manufacturing and other industries are suffering. The entire nation will be
deeply affected.
Consider TEPCO’s Kashiwazaki-Kariwa plants, in particular. If they are notrestarted, TEPCO itself may be unable to carry out its Fukushima reconstruction
plan.
With no clear prospects for restarts – if this situation continues – then beyond theeconomic hardships for the nuclear industry – its inability to attract investments –Japan’s level of nuclear technology will decline. Human resources will move toother industries, or overseas.
This would be the equivalent of “landsubsidence” for the nation itself.
Japan is only 4.8% self-sufficient in energy. We depend on fossil fuels for
88.8% – and we possess virtually none.
We get most of what we need from the Middle East. If there were anemergency at the Strait of Hormuz, Japan would suffer immeasurably.
Japan should learn from the United States. Even while welcoming and enjoying
a shale-gas revolution, the U.S. is holding fast to its high evaluation of nuclear
energy from the viewpoint of energy security.
It will take considerable time before renewable energies are affordable and1

stable. It is obvious that nuclear energy remains necessary as a major,
economical power source.
The new administration of Shinzo Abe and the Liberal Democratic Party thatcame into office at the end of last year has said it will determine a direction for
nuclear power within three years.
It says it will restart nuclear power plants whose safety is confirmed under theNuclear Regulation Authority. We hope for the appropriate political judgment
as soon as possible.
Turning to the world situation, with a few exceptions, countries have held to theirpolicies on nuclear development and utilization since the accident. New plants
have begun operation in multiple countries in Asia and elsewhere.
In China, India, South Korea, Vietnam and beyond, construction of new plants isplanned. It is expected that by 2030 some 200 nuclear reactors will be inoperation in Asia, and 500 around the world.
Japan, of course, will be sharing its experiences and information obtained fromthe accident with the world, doing everything it can to contribute to improving
nuclear safety everywhere.
It is the responsibility of Japan, as an advanced nuclear nation, to meet theworld’s expectations, based on the premise of the “three S’s”: safeguards, safety
and security.
Promotion of nuclear power generation overseas is also a part of Japan’s growthstrategy.
We hope the Japanese government will take up the actual circumstances of thenuclear industry with the same sense of urgency that we feel. We hope it will
provide strong leadership, and be an effective “control tower” in matters reachingacross ministries and agencies.
Next, let me talk about the Nuclear Regulation Authority – our NRA.
It goes without saying that securing safety comes first in the utilization of nuclearpower.
The Nuclear Regulation Authority was established as a body completelyindependent from the government. It determines the safety of nuclear power
plants based on objective, scientific criteria. This itself was a significant step
forward in restoring confidence in nuclear power.
Most important is that the substance of the new safety standards issued by theauthority be recognized not only domestically, but internationally.
In that respect, it is important to maintain total transparency and to giveconsideration to critical viewpoints.
It is also necessary that the authority hear from various parties on thecircumstances of past regulation, scientific information, technical know-how, andso on, and make use of those in its decisions.
The Nuclear Regulation Authority will examine safety not only as a system – inan administrative, scientific, conceptual sense – but in its engineering aspects.
In this, we hope excessively high hurdles will not be set.
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It will also have to openly exchange views with the nuclear operators who havealready implemented various countermeasures, aiming at effective regulations
that are mutually understood and recognized as valid.
Finally, in order for Japan’s regulatory standards to be compatible withinternational standards, we hope the authority will deepen communications withspecialists and experts overseas.
Next, I would like to talk about the restoration and reconstruction of Fukushima.
“Without restoration and reconstruction of Fukushima, there is no future fornuclear power in Japan.” This is the starting point. This has been ourrecognition since the event.
To enable the evacuees to return home as early as possible, we will need thewisdom of people here and around the world. We will have to apply resources– people, materials, money – to that end, with priority.
Decommissioning the Fukushima Daiichi reactors, in particular, is as enormousa challenge as anyone has ever faced. The world is watching and will judge
how we do.
Both to gather and concentrate the wisdom of the world, and to share ourexperience, we have advocated creation in Fukushima of an international
research and development center for decommissioning technology.
The center will be the core of technological development for carrying out
decommissioning safely and efficiently. At the same time, it will play animportant role in nuclear human resource development, and in restoration andreconstruction of the Fukushima region.
The Japanese government has expressed its intention to commit 85 billion yen
toward building a facility to develop and verify decommissioning technology by2014.
The government also plans to establish an organization to manage the researchand development activities, and an international reactor safety research center
hereafter.
In all of this, we in Japan seek and welcome international input, including
particularly from Russia and the United States, which have also experienced
nuclear accidents.
The importance, for example, of accurate understanding of low-dose radiation
was learned after the Chernobyl accident. Based on that, development of asystem to provide proper information to people in the affected areas is an urgent
issue for us.
In turn, improved understanding of the effects of radiation will facilitate
decontamination, interim storage and eventually restoration and reconstructionof Fukushima.
It will also help combat economic damage caused by fear and misinformation.
Not only the residents of Fukushima, but the nation as a whole, must better
understand the effects of radiation and the current situation in the affected area.
Against the backdrop of each of those issues, the theme of this year’s annual3conference is “Zeroing Out Nuclear Power?” – The World Watches ResponsibleJapan.”
During these two days there will be five special presentations and three main
sessions.
Session 1 will consider an appropriate energy mix and future energy picture forJapan, now that the government’s review toward a new Basic Plan for Energy
Supply and Demand is underway
In Session 2, we will look squarely at the lessons of the accident and share theprofessional expertise of domestic and overseas nuclear safety specialists onefforts to improve nuclear safety.
In Session 3, we will be joined by representatives of Okuma Town, one of theaffected municipalities, as well as of the Reconstruction Agency. They andothers will share their views on the best long-term ways to achieve restoration
and reconstruction of Fukushima.
After hearing from those who will take the platform, from Japan and abroad, we
hope all attendees will consider what we in the field of nuclear power should bedoing hereafter.
I know that what we discuss will aid recovery of the economies of Fukushima
and Japan.
Taking advantage of this opportunity, I would like to thank everyone for being
here – with special thanks to those who will make presentations and lead ourexchanges.
Thank you for your attention.

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