International experts give their views on Fukushima nuclear accident
(25 Feb 2012) 1. Mid of news conference with Chairman of the Investigative Committee, Yotaro Hatamura (left) and President of the Carnegie Institution for Science, Richard Meserve (right) 2. Wide of news conference 3. Cutaway of reporters 4. SOUNDBITE (English) Richard Meserve, President of the Carnegie Institution for Science and former chairman of the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission: "Perhaps the most fundamental obligation is to establish an appropriate safety culture among all those who were involved in the nuclear enterprise. It means, not only owner or operator, but the government and in particular the regulator, and that safety culture should reflect a commitment that safety is the highest priority." 5. Mid of news conference 6. SOUDNBITE (English) Andre-Claude Lacoste, Chairman of the French Nuclear Safety Authority: "What is improbable is possible. That means that we must be aware of the fact that an accident is always possible and we must be prepared to deal with it. That means we must be prepared to explore the safety margin. We must be prepared to a good assessment of extreme, severe conditions, and so on. An accident is always possible." 7. Mid of news conference 8. SOUNDBITE (Japanese) Yotaro Hatamura, Chairman of the Investigative Committee: "I believe that the meeting was effective because what could have been an investigation report that may have only been valid for the next 30 years turned into something that may last for 100 years because we had the advice of the experts." 9. Pan of international experts at the news conference 10. Cutaway of photographer 11. Wide of news conference STORYLINE International nuclear power experts held a second day of talks on Saturday with a Japanese panel investigating the Fukushima nuclear disaster last year (2011). The two-day meeting began in Tokyo on Friday, a day after the experts - including representatives from the US, France, Sweden, South Korea and China - visited the crippled nuclear power plant. At a news conference on Saturday, the experts gave their views on an interim report compiled by Japan's government-appointed investigative committee on the Fukushima accident. "Perhaps the most fundamental obligation is to establish an appropriate safety culture among all those who were involved in the nuclear enterprise. It means, not only owner or operator, but the government and in particular the regulator, " Richard Meserve, president of the Carnegie Institution for Science and former chairman of the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission, said. Andre-Claude Lacoste, chairman of the French Nuclear Safety Authority, stressed the importance of being prepared for any eventuality. "We must be aware of the fact that an accident is always possible and we must be prepared to deal with it," he said. ""What is improbable is possible." The report released by the investigating committee found that Japan's response to the nuclear crisis that followed the March 11 tsunami was confused and riddled with problems, including an erroneous assumption that an emergency cooling system was working and a delay in disclosing dangerous radiation leaks. The interim report, compiled by interviewing more than 400 people including utility workers and government officials, found authorities had grossly underestimated tsunami risks, assuming the highest wave would be 6 meters (20 feet). The tsunami hit at more than double those levels. Yotaro Hatamura, chairman of the investigative committee, said the meetings had produced valuable long-term advice. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter: / ap_archive Facebook: / aparchives Instagram: / apnews You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...
