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Opinion

A Tokyo Electric Power Co. employee uses a survey meter near storage tanks for radioactive water at the tsunami-crippled TEPCO’s Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant
in Japan November 7, 2013.

WHAT ABOUT RISK MANAGEMENT?

By Ambassador Kaliopate Tavola Japan is a member of the International Atomic Energy
Agency (IAEA) and hosts one of the two Agency’s Regional
In early May, former Secretary General of the Pacific Islands Safeguards Offices in Tokyo. The other one is in Toronto,
Forum Secretariat (PIFS), Dame Meg Taylor, called on Japan to Canada – interestingly, another Pacific Ocean Rim country.
reconsider its decision to release more than 1 million tonnes Japan’s game plan to enlist the aid of the IAEA is instruc-
of treated nuclear-terminated water from the Fukushima tive. The IAEA is essentially an instrument for peace. It serves
power reactor into the Pacific Ocean. Dame Meg might have as an intergovernmental forum for scientific and technical
anticipated a more conciliatory response from Japan similar cooperation in the peaceful use of nuclear energy and nuclear
to that the Forum (PIF) had received way back in 1985. She power worldwide. Fifty percent of PIF’s membership are
would be disappointed. members of the IAEA. Of these, Tonga is yet to deposit its
In the early 1980s, Japan had proposed to dump cement-so- ratification instrument with the Agency.
lidified drums of low radioactive waste in the high seas. After Japan was able to secure a statement from the IAEA, clearly
much multi-tiered protest by PIF Leaders, Japan relented. But in response to Dame Meg’s call for a reconsideration of its
its decision was unashamedly diplomatic and impermanent. decision. The Agency’s glib one-liner was: “Japan’s dumping
In 1985, then Japan Prime Minister Nakasone was to visit Fiji. plan is technically feasible.”
On the eve of his official visit, he announced his intention to To be technically feasible, in my book, means that a project
shelve, but not to abandon the dumping proposal in defer- or activity can be designed, constructed, operated, or carried
ence to island sensitivities on the matter. out to accomplish its goals and objectives, using accepted
This time around, Japan is obdurate. It is pursuing a two- engineering and other technical principles and concepts. The
prong approach. The first is its attempt at appeasement of PIF one-liner above is specifically focussed on feasibility. It lacks,
Leaders. Somewhat crude; but Japan is clutching at straws. in my view, clarity regarding the management of risks that not

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