原子力人材確保 「脱原発」からの決別が急務だ

The Yomiuri Shimbun (Apr. 8, 2012)
Make sure nuclear fields have quality human resources
原子力人材確保　「脱原発」からの決別が急務だ（4月7日付・読売社説）

How can Japan secure and develop human resources who will work in the nuclear power field? This task needs to be jointly tackled by the government and the private sector.
　原子力を担う人材を今後、どう育て、確保するか。官民が協力して取り組むべき課題である。

The number of students wishing to study nuclear power has declined since the crisis started last year at the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant operated by Tokyo Electric Power Co. In addition, many young people have become reluctant to take jobs in nuclear-related industries.
　東京電力福島第一原子力発電所の事故後、原子力を学ぼう、という学生が減った。原子力関連産業への就職も敬遠されている。

The seriousness of the Fukushima accident certainly is one factor behind these developments. Moreover, stances taken by prime ministers since the crisis began have negatively impacted the situation. Former Prime Minister Naoto Kan abruptly announced that he wanted to free the country's future energy policy from its dependence on nuclear power generation, apparently without carefully considering the ramifications of such a change. Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda, who succeeded Kan, has been slow in crafting specific policies on how to utilize nuclear power in this country.
　事故の深刻さもあろうが、菅前首相が安易に、「脱原発」を標榜(ひょうぼう)し、野田首相も、原発の具体的な活用策をなかなか打ち出そうとしないことが響いている。

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Future vision needed

Fields devoid of future potential will be unable to attract talented personnel.
　将来の展望が開けない分野に人材は集まらない。

Yet, when considering an ideal combination of power sources for this nation, nuclear power will be essential along with thermal power and other energy sources. The government must clearly devise a future vision for the country's energy supply by squarely looking at reality.
　最適な電源の組み合わせを考えるうえで、原子力は火力などとともに欠かせない。政府は、その現実を見据えた将来像を、明確に描いてみせるべきだ。

Even if the government opts to depart from the country's dependence on nuclear power, Japan still will need human resources to tackle the ongoing crisis at the Fukushima nuclear plant and decommission reactors there. According to a plan compiled by the government and the utility, decommissioning the reactors and clearing up the site will take at least 40 years.
　仮に「脱原発依存」を選択するとしても、福島第一原発の事故処理や廃炉を担う人材は必須だ。政府と東電がまとめた計画では、最終的に廃炉にし、現場を片づけるまでに最短でも４０年かかる。

This lengthy operation will be shouldered by the children of today.
　この長丁場を、今の子供たち世代が担うことになる。

Furthermore, such work will require highly advanced technologies.
　しかも高度な技術を要する。

Safely removing and reducing radioactive contaminants at the nuclear plant will require more sophisticated robot and remote control technologies. Making estimates on the extent of the damage inside the crippled reactors, where people are still unable to enter, also will need the latest computer technology.
　放射能汚染を安全に除去、軽減するには、今のロボット、遠隔操作技術を洗練せねばならない。人が近づけない原子炉内の損傷状況を推計するにも、最新のコンピューター技術が活用される。

A wide array of research and development activities, as well as technological innovations, will be needed over a long period of time.
　さらに長期にわたって、多彩な研究開発と技術革新が必要だ。

Capable personnel will have to be available to the nuclear regulatory agency, electric power companies and nuclear-related manufacturers to improve the safety of existing reactors through regulations, inspections and repairs. Strict safety controls are required around the clock even at idled nuclear reactors.
　既存の原発の安全性を向上させる規制や点検、補修でも、原子力規制庁や電力会社、メーカーに優秀な人材を配したい。運転を停止している原発でも、常に厳重な安全管理が求められる。

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Japan has intl role to play

An option of replacing dated reactors with new models is expected to be discussed in the future. Electric utilities and nuclear-related manufacturers will have to nurture and train engineers capable of leading the design and building of these reactors.
　老朽化した原発を新型に置き換えることも今後検討されよう。その設計や建設を主導できる技術者を、電力会社やメーカーは育てておかなくてはならない。

Exports of nuclear power infrastructure--a field the government has been promoting--will be impossible without engineers well versed in safety regulatory measures of international standards.
　政府が進める原発の輸出も、国際水準の安全規制策に熟知した技術者なしでは実現しない。

Japan's neighboring countries, such as China and South Korea, have been constructing nuclear power plants one after another. With lessons learned from the Fukushima nuclear crisis, international cooperation must be promoted to prevent the occurrence of a similar serious nuclear accident. In this field, too, experts will play vital roles.
　近隣の中国、韓国などは原発を次々に増設している。福島第一原発の事故を教訓に、重大事故が起きないよう国際協力を進めるべきだ。ここでも、やはり専門家が重要な役割を果たす。

Japan is a country with many reactors and a proponent of the peaceful use of nuclear power. Other nations expect Japan to contribute to such fields as nuclear nonproliferation and nuclear terrorism countermeasures at the International Atomic Energy Agency and in other international arenas.
　多数の原発を有し原子力の平和利用を進める日本には、国際原子力機関（ＩＡＥＡ）などを舞台に核不拡散や核テロ対策で国際貢献することも期待されている。

The Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Ministry is implementing projects to nurture human resources in the nuclear power field including subsidies to nuclear-related courses at universities and other educational institutes. We think the government should accelerate efforts to improve and expand such programs.
　文部科学省は、大学などが設けた原子力関連の講座を予算面で支援するなど、人材育成の事業を進めている。こうした取り組みの充実、拡大を急がねばならない。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, April 7, 2012)
（2012年4月7日01時30分 読売新聞）