The International Atomic Energy Agency released its comprehensive — but mostly ignored — final report on Fukushima on Aug. 30.
It blamed the March 2011 triple meltdowns at Tokyo Electric Power Co.'s Fukushima No. 1 power plant on a blind belief in "the nuclear safety myth." In other words, the myth that Japan's "nuclear power plants were so safe that an accident of this magnitude was simply unthinkable."
"The regulation of nuclear safety in Japan at the time of the accident was performed by a number of organizations with different roles and responsibilities and complex interrelationships," the report said. "It was not fully clear which organizations had the responsibility and authority to issue binding instructions on how to respond to safety issues without delay. The regulations, guidelines and procedures in place at the time of the accident were not fully in line with international practice in some key areas, most notably in relation to periodic safety reviews, re-evaluation of hazards, severe accident management and safety culture."
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