Fukushima and international nuclear governance: A policy-decision analysis

In March 2011, a 9.0 Mw earthquake struck off Japan’s coast, leading to the Fukushima nuclear disaster. As a result of the incident, the Japanese government was forced to reevaluate its energy mix and policies surrounding energy sovereignty and nuclear energy. In this article, we provide a detailed case study of the policy decisions that were taken in the period following the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster. The case study examines public opinion, government reports, official statements, newspaper reports, and other primary and secondary source documents. We demonstrate the role of the Fukushima disaster as a stress test for international nuclear governance that clearly illustrates the varied responses within Japan and the international community in the face of disaster. Furthermore, the case illustrates the tradeoffs that occur between public health and environmental sustainability in the wake of major disasters.