Strange: Japan nuclear commission fails to send experts to Fukushima

04-17-2011 • mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/news

The Nuclear Safety Commission of Japan has failed to send designated experts to Fukushima Prefecture to look into the crisis at the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant even though a national disaster-preparedness plan requires it to do so, many of the experts said Saturday. A commission spokesperson said problems following the March 11 earthquake and tsunami such as blackouts had discouraged it from sending any experts to Fukushima Prefecture, but many of the specialists and government officials questioned the claim. The commission designates 40 nuclear accident experts including university professors and senior officials of relevant institutions as well as five others as members of its panel on emergency technical advice. The disaster plan requires the commission to dispatch members of the panel to a location near an accident site. The commission has dispatched members of its secretariat to the prefecture since the crisis began the nuclear complex but a government official said, "It seems a problem that none of the designated experts has gone to Fukushima. The matter should be examined in the course of post-accident fact-finding."