The Fukushima Ministerial Conference on Nuclear Safety
Fukushima Prefecture, Japan
15-17 December 2012
Conference ID:
20120216
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Announcement
A. Background
Following the accident at TEPCO’s Fukushima Nuclear Power Stations (the Fukushima Dai-ichi accident) on 11 March 2011, an IAEA Ministerial Conference on Nuclear Safety was convened in Vienna, Austria, in June 2011 to direct, under the leading role of the IAEA, the process of learning and acting upon lessons from the accident in order to strengthen nuclear safety, emergency preparedness, and radiation protection of people and the environment worldwide. The Ministerial Conference adopted a declaration which, inter alia, requested the IAEA Director General to draft an Action Plan on Nuclear Safety (the Action Plan). The Action Plan, which defined a programme of work to strengthen the global nuclear safety framework, was unanimously adopted by the Board of Governors and endorsed by all Member States at the 55th regular session of the General Conference in September 2011. It was noted in the Action Plan that “the High Level Conference to be organized by Japan and the IAEA in 2012 will provide an opportunity for learning further lessons and for enhancing transparency.”
Since the adoption of the Action Plan, many lessons have been learned and significant progress has been made in key areas of nuclear safety, such as the safety assessment of nuclear power plants (NPPs), the IAEA’s peer review services, emergency preparedness and response, the IAEA’s safety standards, etc., thus contributing to the enhancement of nuclear safety worldwide. Important activities are being and will be carried out in the future in all areas under the Action Plan. The full and effective implementation of these activities requires joint efforts and full commitment from the IAEA Secretariat, Member States and other stakeholders.
Against this backdrop, the Government of Japan, in co-sponsorship with the IAEA, is organizing the Fukushima Ministerial Conference on Nuclear Safety, to be held in Fukushima Prefecture, Japan, from 15 to 17 December 2012.
B. Objectives of the Conference
The principal objective of this international ministerial conference is to contribute to strengthening nuclear safety worldwide. The Conference will provide yet another opportunity to share with the international community, at the ministerial and expert levels, further knowledge and lessons learned from the Fukushima Dai-ichi accident; to further enhance transparency; and to discuss the progress of international efforts aimed at strengthening nuclear safety, including through the implementation of the Action Plan, as well as of measures to protect people and the environment from ionizing radiation.
C. Conference Structure and Major Topics
The Conference will consist of:
- A plenary session which will be held on Saturday, 15 December 2012, at the ministerial level, and which may continue, as necessary, on Sunday, 16 December 2012, in parallel with the working sessions, as well as a closing plenary session on Monday, 17 December. At the plenary session statements by heads of delegations will be delivered; and
- Working sessions which will be held on Sunday, 16 December, and Monday, 17 December 2012, involving the participation of internationally recognized experts.
The working sessions are envisaged to cover the following major topics:
- Working Session 1: “Lessons learned from the accident at TEPCO’s Fukushima Nuclear Power Stations”
This session will provide an opportunity for an overview of lessons learned from the Fukushima Dai-ichi accident, measures to mitigate consequences and prevent an accident, as well as safety of the operation of nuclear installations and protection of NPPs against severe natural disasters.
- Working Session 2: “Strengthening nuclear safety, including emergency preparedness and response, in the light of the accident at TEPCO’s Fukushima Nuclear Power Stations”
This session will provide an opportunity to discuss ways to further strengthen nuclear safety, including emergency preparedness and response, in the light of the Fukushima Dai-ichi accident, and IAEA safety standards.
- Working Session 3: “Protection of people and the environment from ionizing radiation”
This session will provide an opportunity to discuss radiation protection, public communication on radioactivity, remediation related activities, and tasks related to research and development for off-site activities.
The plenary and working sessions will be transmitted live as a webcast.
D. Side Events (Updated on 29 November)
From 15-17 December, limited space and time slots are available in the Conference venue for side events.
IAEA Member States and accredited organizations wishing to organize a briefing etc. as a side event to the Conference are kindly invited to contact the Secretariat of the Government of Japan by e-mail (Fukushima-sitetours@mofa.go.jp). The Secretariat will allocate time and venue on a first-come-first-served basis to those events that are in line with the objectives of the Conference. Due to limited logistical constraints, exhibits may include printed or video materials and similar items but not equipment or samples.
Optional site tours, including tours of Fukushima Prefecture, will be available for participants of the Conference. Those who wish to participate in any of these tours are requested to submit an application due to the limited capacity of each tour. Detailed information, including the application procedure on the optional tours, has already been provided to Member States, invited entities and organizations by the Government of Japan through diplomatic channels.
E. Participation and Registration (Updated on 10 October)
All persons wishing to participate in the Conference are requested to register in advance. Only registered members of delegations will be permitted to participate in the Conference.
The registration for participation is now open. The IAEA Member States, invited entities and organizations are requested to inform the Government of Japan of their participation by filling in and submitting the delegation forms that have already been distributed by the Government of Japan through diplomatic channels. A participant will be accepted only if the delegation form is transmitted through the Government of a Member State of the IAEA or by entities and organizations invited to participate. It is strongly requested that the completed forms along with a passport photograph of each delegate and participants’ contact point be returned to the Conference Secretariat in Japan by 15 November 2012.
F. Speakers and Statements in the Plenary (Updated on 10 October)
At the plenary session there will be an opportunity for Heads of Delegation to deliver statements. Member States will be informed through the GovAtom website of the date for the ballot to determine the order of speakers among the Member States who register on that day for inscription in the list of speakers in the plenary session. Requests to inscribe in the speakers list after the date of the ballot should be made directly, either personally or in writing, to the Secretariat of the Policy-making Organs (VIC, room A-2863). Member States requesting, after the ballot, inscription in the speakers list will be added in the order in which they make their request. It should be noted, however, that the Ministers participating in the plenary session will be given priority.
G. Working Languages and Interpretation
The working languages of the Conference will be the official IAEA languages: Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish, as well as Japanese.
H. Accommodation (Updated on 10 October)
In order to facilitate the reservation of accommodation for participating delegations, the Accommodation Centre for the Fukushima Ministerial Conference on Nuclear Safety has been established in Japan. Participating delegations looking for accommodation in the Fukushima area are advised to make reservations through this Accommodation Centre. Accommodation in Tokyo can also be arranged through the Centre. Detailed Information on how to access the Centre has been communicated to Member States, invited entities and organizations from the Government of Japan through diplomatic channels. Participants are asked to cover the cost of their own accommodation.
I. Visas
Designated participants who require a visa to enter Japan should submit the necessary application to the nearest diplomatic or consular representative of Japan at least four weeks before entering Japan. The period for issuing a visa is approximately five working days as long as there is no particular problem with the content of the application documents. If there is a problem with those documents, it could take more than a month to issue a visa. It is highly recommended to contact the nearest Embassy or Consulate General of Japan sufficiently in advance.
J. Conference Secretariat
Government of Japan:
Secretariat for the Fukushima Ministerial Conference on Nuclear Safety
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan
Tel: +81 3 5501 8504
Email: gungenjun@mofa.go.jp
IAEA Scientific Secretaries:
Mr Gustavo Caruso
Nuclear Safety Action Team
Tel.:+43 1 2600 26521
Fax: +43 1 2600 7
Email: G.Caruso@iaea.org
Mr Peter John Hughes
Division of Nuclear Installation Safety
Tel.: +43 1 2600 22830
Fax: +43 1 2600 7
Email: P.Hughes@iaea.org
Ms Elena Buglova
Incident and Emergency Centre
Tel.: +43 1 2600 22738
Fax: +43 1 2600 7
Email: E.Buglova@iaea.org
Mr Pal Vincze
Division of Nuclear Power
Tel.: +43 1 2600 22805
Fax: +43 1 26007
Email: P.Vincze@iaea.org
IAEA Administration and Organization:
Ms Martina Neuhold
Conference Services Section
Division of Conference and Document Services
Tel.: +43 1 2600 21314
Fax: +43 1 2600 7
Email: M.Neuhold@iaea.org
K. Conference Venue
Fukushima Trade Fair Center “Big Palette Fukushima” (Minami 2-52, Koriyama City, Fukushima Prefecture, Japan 963-0115).
L. Conference Web Page
Please visit the IAEA’s web page for the Conference regularly for new information regarding the Conference:
http://www-pub.iaea.org/iaeameetings/20120216/-The-Fukushima-Ministerial-Conference-on-Nuclear-Safety
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