Young nuclear professionals in Japan, a counter-current profile

For young Japanese people, studying atomic energy and becoming an engineer or researcher is like a life choice against the current.

Share:

Comprehensive energy news coverage, updated nonstop

Annual subscription

8.25$/month*

*billed annually at 99$/year for the first year then 149,00$/year ​

Unlimited access • Archives included • Professional invoice

OTHER ACCESS OPTIONS

Monthly subscription

Unlimited access • Archives included

5.2$/month*
then 14.90$ per month thereafter

FREE ACCOUNT

3 articles offered per month

FREE

*Prices are excluding VAT, which may vary depending on your location or professional status

Since 2021: 35,000 articles • 150+ analyses per week

“We have to be motivated”: for young Japanese, studying atomic energy and becoming an engineer or researcher in this sector is akin to a contrarian life choice, since the national trauma caused by the Fukushima accident in 2011.

The Japanese government now wants to relaunch nuclear power for good, considering in particular the construction of new generation reactors to reduce the archipelago’s extreme dependence on imported fossil fuels and its high CO2 emissions.

This politically sensitive project is also a challenge in terms of human resources, while the number of students in nuclear science in Japan has declined by more than 25% between 2011 and 2021, according to figures from the Ministry of Education.

These figures vary greatly from one year to the next and concern only a few hundred students, but they should be put into perspective, says Kota Kawai, president of a Japanese network of young nuclear professionals.

“Even after the Fukushima accident, students were interested in how to overcome these great challenges. Many were interested in the field of (reactor) dismantling,” according to this nuclear safety researcher.

“The problem is that there are few people in Japan who know how to build new nuclear power plants” now, warns Mr. Kawai, interviewed in late November by AFP on the sidelines of the International Youth Nuclear Congress (IYNC). This forum of exchange between students and young nuclear professionals from all over the world was organized for the first time in Japan and, as a symbol, in the Fukushima prefecture, in Koriyama (north-east).

In Japanese culture, it’s not a good idea to show off and express “pride” in any profession, recalls Kawai, co-chair of the Koriyama IYNC. But as young nuclear professionals, “we need to be motivated, to say what we think, what we do.

Tepco, a pariah group

Chisato, 28, studied chemistry and radiobiology. After working from 2017 to 2020 at Tepco, the operator of the Fukushima Daiichi accidental power plant, she now holds a position abroad. The Fukushima disaster was “the starting point” of her interest in nuclear power when she was still in high school, she tells AFP, preferring not to mention her last name.

“After the accident, there was so much confusing information in the media, such as the level of radiation in Fukushima (…). It generated a lot of anxiety in people. So I wanted to know the whole story, the facts, in a neutral way.

This disaster did not cause any immediate casualties, but led to the evacuation of some 100,000 local residents. In 2018, the Japanese state acknowledged one radiation death, a nuclear plant employee.

Chisato also recalls her “amazement” during her job interview at Tepco when she was asked if her parents approved of her joining the company, whose reputation sank after the disaster. She then learned that people about to be hired by Tepco sometimes withdrew their applications at the last moment after being dissuaded by their families. Her own parents were also worried about her going to work at Fukushima Daiichi. “I explained to them that it wasn’t going to affect my health,” Chisato says.

Very uncertain

“My parents and friends have never criticized my career choice,” says Hikari, also 28, a nuclear researcher with a large Japanese industrial conglomerate who also prefers to remain anonymous.

But Hikari had to fight “for years” with her anti-nuclear husband: “He finally respected my decision because he understood how committed I was to my work. Kyohei Yoshinaga, 30, a researcher in electrical and energy technologies at the Japanese think tank Mitsubishi Research Institute, entered the university the same year as the Fukushima disaster.

The new ambitions of the Japanese government leave him doubtful for the moment. “The government now wants to use nuclear power as much as possible, because there is a need right now” with soaring electricity prices, he notes. “But the situation can change very quickly. If we only have a short-term outlook, it is still very uncertain.”

Canadian uranium producer NexGen Energy has completed a A$1bn ($639mn) equity raise split between North American and Australian markets to support the development of its Rook I project.
The formal expiration of the 2015 nuclear deal with Iran comes as international sanctions have already been reinstated and diplomatic negotiations remain stalled.
Oklo, newcleo and Blykalla partner to develop advanced nuclear fuel infrastructure in the United States, backed by a planned $2bn investment.
enCore Energy has identified three new uranium roll fronts at its Alta Mesa project, with ongoing drilling aimed at defining their extent and accelerating development work.
California-based Radiant will build its first microreactor production facility in Oak Ridge, on a former Manhattan Project site, with production targeted at 50 units per year by 2028.
EDF restarted the Flamanville EPR reactor after repairing non-compliant valves, delaying the target of reaching full power output of 1,620 MW until the end of autumn.
Nano Nuclear and the University of Illinois will begin drilling operations for the KRONOS MMR™ reactor on October 24, marking a key step toward commercialisation of the nuclear project on the Urbana-Champaign campus.
Natura Resources is finalising construction of the MSR-1, an advanced liquid-fuel nuclear reactor, with a planned launch in 2026 on the Abilene Christian University campus.
JPMorganChase commits $10bn in direct investments as part of a $1.5tn plan to boost energy independence and strategic technologies, including next-generation nuclear power.
A roadmap under development aims to establish regulatory and technical foundations for the deployment of small modular reactors, with the goal of strengthening national energy security and attracting private capital.
EDF adjusts its 2025 nuclear production forecast to between 365 and 375 TWh, supported by the performance of its industrial programme START 2025 focused on maintenance efficiency.
The United Nations nuclear agency is urging Ukraine and Russia to establish a local ceasefire to repair damaged power lines at the Zaporizhzhia plant, which remains on alert after losing all external power supply.
Deep Isolation is calling on First Mover States to incorporate radioactive waste management into their joint strategy to ensure the industrial viability of new nuclear reactors.
Canada’s nuclear regulator has approved the launch of a new building that will store used steam generators from Bruce Power's refurbishment programme.
Costain has been selected to upgrade essential utilities at the Sellafield nuclear site under a contract worth up to £1bn over fifteen years.
A 5,000-megawatt nuclear programme will be launched by the South African government with NECSA to support national electricity supply and reduce power cuts.
Canada’s IsoEnergy will acquire Australia’s Toro Energy for AUD75mn ($49mn), creating a diversified uranium production platform with assets across Australia, Canada and the United States.
The upcoming Sizewell C nuclear power plant secures its fuel supply through agreements signed with Urenco and Framatome, marking a key step in strengthening the United Kingdom’s long-term energy stability.
The construction of Uzbekistan’s first small modular reactor (SMR) is underway, with 1.5mn m³ of earth being excavated in Jizzakh, marking a major milestone for the nuclear project led by Rosatom.
A nationwide debate on radioactive waste strategy begins on October 13 for four months. It will accompany the preparation of the next five-year roadmap regulating storage, treatment and funding policies through 2031.

All the latest energy news, all the time

Annual subscription

8.25$/month*

*billed annually at 99$/year for the first year then 149,00$/year ​

Unlimited access - Archives included - Pro invoice

Monthly subscription

Unlimited access • Archives included

5.2$/month*
then 14.90$ per month thereafter

*Prices shown are exclusive of VAT, which may vary according to your location or professional status.

Since 2021: 30,000 articles - +150 analyses/week.