Japan to Increase Nuke Safety Checks

TOKYO (AP) -- Japanese nuclear regulators say they'll revise law, nearly double inspection staff and send some inspectors to the U.S. for training to address insufficiencies cited by International Atomic Energy Agency experts.

The Nuclear Regulation Authority announced the plans Monday in response to an IAEA evaluation of Japan's nuclear safety regulations since the 2011 Fukushima disaster. The report was submitted to the government last week.

The IAEA review, its first since the authority's establishment in 2012, was conducted in January. It said that even though Japan has adopted stricter safety requirement for plant operators, inspections are reactive, inflexible and lacking free access.

While the 1,000 U.S. inspectors have two years of training, Japan's 150 staffers receive a two-week course.

The authority plans to enact laws in 2020 to achieve the IAEA's recommendations.

(KA)