US National Academy of Sciences to Set Up Fukushima Investigation Commission

So reports Mainichi Shinbun (4/10/2012):

東京電力福島第１原発事故について、米国最大の学術団体「米科学アカデミー」が独自の事故調査委員会（事故調）を設置したことが分かった。今後２年かけ、事故原因や日本の原子力政策を調査、米国の原発や原子力政策改善に反映させる。

It has just been revealed that the US National Academy of Sciences has set up its own commission to investigate the Fukushima I Nuclear Power Plant accident. In the next two years, the commission will investigate the cause of the accident and Japan's nuclear policies in order to improve the nuclear power plants in the US and the US nuclear policies.

　関係者によると、事故調は米議会の要請で設置された。米国内の専門家約２０人に参加を呼びかける。さらに日本の原子力分野の研究者や技術者にもアドバイザーとして委員会への参加を要請する。日本原子力学会などの専門家を念頭に置いているものとみられる。

According to the people involved, the commission has been set up by the request from the US Congress. About 20 experts in the US will be asked to join. Japanese nuclear researchers and engineers will be asked to participate as advisors. They will probably be the experts who are the members of the Atomic Energy Society of Japan.

　福島原発事故をめぐっては、日本でも政府、国会、民間など複数の調査委員会が事故の真相解明に取り組んでいる。米国での調査はこれらの調査結果を参考にしながら、事故の教訓を分析し、米国内の原発の安全性向上や使用済み核燃料保管といった日米共通の課題解決に生かす。

Over the Fukushima nuclear accident, there are several investigation commissions set up in Japan by the cabinet, the Diet or by a private entity to uncover what happened. The US's commission will refer to the results of these Japanese commissions, analyze the lessons learned from the accident, and use them to solve the problems that are shared by both Japan and the US, including enhancing safety of nuclear power plants and storage of spent fuel.

事故調のトップを務める米科学アカデミー原子力放射線研究委員会責任者のケビン・クローリー氏は「事故調のメンバーを日本に派遣し、日本政府、東京電力、専門家などに話を聞きたい。また、米国政府や世界の原子力産業など幅広い関係者から情報を集めたい」と話す。

The commission will be headed by Kevin Crowley, Director of Nuclear and Radiation Studies Board at the National Academy of Sciences. Dr. Crowley says, "We would like to send the commission members to Japan to hear from the Japanese government, TEPCO and experts. We would like to collect information from a wide range of people including those in the US government and the nuclear industry people around the world."

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