IAEA board members visit Japan, discuss peaceful use of nuclear energy

Tokyo, Feb 3 (IANS) Five Ambassadors at the Permanent Missions to International Organisations in Vienna, including India’s Shambhu S. Kumaran, recently visited Japan as members of the Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to deepen understanding about the country’s efforts for nuclear non-proliferation and the peaceful uses of nuclear energy.

The Japanese Foreign Ministry revealed on Monday that the IAEA Board of Governors who visited Japan from January 13 to 18 also included the Permanent Representatives of Ecuador, Indonesia, Belgium and Colombia to the United Nations Office and other International Organisations in Geneva.

“The group visited the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant, the TEPCO Decommissioning Archives, and the disaster remains of Ukedo Elementary School in Namie Town, where they received explanations from relevant parties about the local situation at the time of the earthquake, and observed the safe and steady efforts being made toward the ocean release of ALPS-treated water and decommissioning of the plant,” the ministry stated.

They also visited Fukushima Medical University, the Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA), the Integrated Support Center for Nuclear Nonproliferation and Nuclear Security (ISCN), and the Naka Fusion Science and Technology Research Institute of the National Institutes for Quantum and Radiological Science and Technology (QST) to observe Japan’s cutting-edge efforts in radiation medicine, nuclear non-proliferation technology, and nuclear fusion research.

“In Tokyo, the group also paid a courtesy call on Takuma Miyaji, State Minister for Foreign Affairs, and exchanged views on the importance of promoting the peaceful use of nuclear energy and the denuclearization of North Korea. The participating Directors commented that by actually visiting each site during this invitation, they were able to directly experience the decommissioning of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant operated by Tokyo Electric Power Company and the desire for reconstruction, and further deepened their understanding of related efforts over many years and Japan’s advanced technology for the peaceful use of nuclear energy,” the statement issued by Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs added further.

“In addition, they were highly praised for being able to exchange frank opinions with experts in cutting-edge technology, while taking into account international trends surrounding nuclear energy and the trends in nuclear energy policies in each country, as being extremely meaningful,” it added.

The IAEA has been promoting the peaceful uses of nuclear energy as one of its main objectives and has been implementing various technical cooperation activities for developing countries while promoting the application of nuclear energy in fields such as medicine, the environment and food.

The agency designates and elects 35 member states as its Board of Governors, whose ambassadors at the Permanent Mission of these countries to international organisations in Vienna serve as Board members. Board members are made up of designated states, nuclear advanced countries, including Japan, and elected states with two-year terms.

The purpose of the invitational programme, the ministry explained, was to deepen the international community’s understanding of Japan’s efforts in the fields of peaceful uses of nuclear energy, ocean release of ALPS treated water and decommissioning, nuclear non-proliferation, and research and development of nuclear fusion. It has been held almost every year since 2008.

–IANS

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