Japan's Kyodo News agency disclosed on the 6th that the internal investigation of the Japan Atomic Energy Regulation Agency showed that the Japan Atomic Energy Research and Development Agency, which had a nuclear leak accident, had improperly managed more than 4,500 nuclear material containers for a long time.

On the 6th of last month, five staff members of the Atomic Energy Agency had an accident while inspecting nuclear waste, inhaling a large amount of radioactive powder. It was Japan's worst internal radiation accident to date.

On the morning of June 6, five employees of the IAEA's Owash Research and development center in Ibaraki Prefecture conducted a scheduled inspection of 21 containers containing nuclear waste. When the five people opened the first container, the double plastic bag containing the nuclear waste suddenly burst, and about 300 grams of radioactive uranium and plutonium flew away, which was inhaled by the employees.

Japan's Nuclear Regulatory Agency later said that it would meet with the head of the IAEA to investigate the safety management of the agency, including the preservation of nuclear fuel, the operation steps to prevent the release of radioactive materials, and the necessary equipment to prevent internal radiation exposure of employees, in order to determine whether the agency itself was negligent or loopholes in safety management.

In late June, the agency's staff visited the agency's office site.

Kyodo News agency announced the results of the above investigation on the 6th, and concluded that the background of the nuclear leakage accident at the Dazai research and development center was the IAEA's long-term improper management of nuclear material containers.

"Just like children do not know how to clean up after playing with toys. For an agency that brings together nuclear experts and is supposed to set an example for others, [its style] was extremely sloppy." A nuclear regulatory agency official said.

The agency said that the containers of nuclear materials must be kept in the special storage place of the plant with anti-radiation and anti-criticality measures, and the four units under the IAEA did not act in accordance with the regulations. In the most extreme case, a nuclear material container was kept outside of a dedicated storage facility for more than 35 years.

[Naming and criticizing]

The NRA released the names of the four agencies under the IAEA that illegally stored the containers of nuclear materials: the Daisai Research and Development Center, the Institute of Nuclear Fuel Cycle Engineering, the Institute of Atomic Energy Science and Technology, and the 峠 Environmental Technology Center. A total of 4,571 containers of nuclear materials were improperly managed at these four institutions.

The agency also pointed out that in December last year, the agency asked the Dazai research and development center to make corrections, and the relevant measures were subsequently launched. However, those efforts failed to prevent last month's tragedy.

According to tests by the Atomic Energy Agency, an employee of the nuclear accident in June had alarming radiation levels in his body, which greatly increased the risk of future diseases such as cancer. Kyodo News agency reported on the 6th that the relevant workers' health has not changed much.

The report also said that in the future, the IAEA will be responsible for the "Monju" fast breeder reactor in Fukui Prefecture, which may take decades to scrap work, which has caused concern in the Japanese industry.

Joint representative of Japan's Atomic Energy Information and Information Office, Yan Eiyuki, said: "It is difficult to say whether the IAEA can safely complete the decommissioning operation. "It is extremely disturbing." (Du Juan) (Xinhua Special Feature)

Plastic Industry Video