Nuclear Security in the Wake of the 2011 Earthquake and Tsunami in Japan

Abstract In March 2011, the most powerful earthquake ever recorded in Japan and a resultant tsunami destroyed large swathes of the Japanese coastline, killed thousands, and caused billions of dollars in damage. The nuclear power plant at Fukushima Daiichi was badly damaged by the tsunami, losing power and back-up generators, leading to a radioactive release. The chapter considers nuclear security in Japan before and after the Fukushima disaster. It provides background on the nuclear sector in Japan and considers the Fukushima disaster and its implications for nuclear security. While a safety incident, the Fukushima accident had consequential implications for nuclear security in Japan. Rather than focusing on the potential for a non-state actor to maliciously cause a Fukushima-style accident, the chapter centres on maintaining nuclear security during times of crisis. The chapter goes on to discuss nuclear security issues in Japan since the disaster and concludes by considering the future of the country’s nuclear security. It argues that nuclear security in Japan has improved significantly over the past decades, especially since the 11 September 2001 terrorist attacks in the United States, but with Fukushima having significant enduring influence. At the time of writing, however, the future of nuclear security—like the future of nuclear power in Japan more generally—remains unclear, largely a result of the disaster a decade ago.