The Role of Third Party Organizations in Nuclear Safety Regulations—International Comparison of Japan, France and U.S. and Implications for Future Institutional Designs

Abstract

Because of problems relating to the unsuitable handling of nuclear safety regulations these days, new regulatory system, such as the amendment of Electric Utility Law, the inauguration of the independent administrative institute called "JNES: Japan Nuclear Energy Safety Organization" was introduced. And attention is paid to standard setting and inspection system by the third party organization. In the U.S. and France, this kind of systems are already introduced in different forms concerning in in-service inspection of a nuclear reactor, and welding inspection, etc. In this article, roles of third party organizations concerning nuclear safety in Japan, U.S., and France are compared and basic issues for designing the institutional arrangement for the future in Japan will be analyzed.