2025 (Current Year) Faculty Courses School of Materials and Chemical Technology Department of Materials Science and Engineering Graduate major in Nuclear Engineering
Nuclear Regulation and Ethics
- Academic unit or major
- Graduate major in Nuclear Engineering
- Instructor(s)
- Hiroshi Akatsuka / Takehiko Tsukahara / Yoshihisa Matsumoto / Noriyosu Hayashizaki / Hiroshi Sagara
- Class Format
- Lecture
- Media-enhanced courses
- -
- Day of week/Period
(Classrooms) - Class
- -
- Course Code
- NCL.F402
- Number of credits
- 100
- Course offered
- 2025
- Offered quarter
- 4Q
- Syllabus updated
- Mar 19, 2025
- Language
- Japanese
Syllabus
Course overview and goals
[Outline of course]
This course gives an overview of the peaceful use, historical background, and international trends of nuclear power, which form the basis of the regulatory system for nuclear power and radiation. We will cover the Atomic Energy Basic Act, Act on the Regulation of Nuclear Source Material, Nuclear Fuel Material and Reactors, and its ordinances, regulations, and notices, the Act on Technical Standards for Prevention of Radiation Hazards and its ordinances, regulations, and other relevant laws. In addition, students learn about ethics necessary for research, development, and operations involved with nuclear power. Students also gain an understanding of the relationship nuclear power technology has with society, and learn how best to fulfill their responsibility as an actor in the nuclear power technology field.
[Purpose of course]
To learn basic knowledge on nuclear power regulations needed at the minimum for a student in Graduate Major in Nuclear Engineering, and acquire skills for adapting to regulations related to radiation, nuclear fuel, and nuclear reactors. To understand ethical decision making methods and be able to implement them in the cases.
Course description and aims
By the end of this course, students will be able to:
1) understand the systems of laws and regulations to regulate applications of nuclear energy and radiation
2) understand the recent conditions how the government equipped with the laws, act and regulations relevant to nuclear energy applications including radiation are,
3) understand the contemporary problems of laws and regulations of nuclear engineering, and
4) be equipped with knowledge to be able to work as a future licensed engineer of nuclear reactors, that of nuclear fuel, or a radiation protection supervisor.
5) understand the necessity and importance of having ethical values for oneself, and express in one's own words how to fulfill one's responsibility in nuclear field.
Keywords
Regulatory systems of nuclear industries and radiation applications, Atomic Energy Basic Act, Nuclear Reactor Regulation Law, Radiation Hazard Prevention Act, nuclear security and safeguard
Competencies
- Specialist skills
- Intercultural skills
- Communication skills
- Critical thinking skills
- Practical and/or problem-solving skills
Class flow
The instructor delivers a lecture every week. He gives an exercise to further understand the contents of previous and present lectures. After self-evaluation of exercises, the instructor gives suggested answers and explanation. Required learning should be completed outside the classroom for preparation and review purposes.
Course schedule/Objectives
| Course schedule | Objectives | |
|---|---|---|
| Class 1 | Overview and Nuclear Security Law（Hayashizaki） | Nuclear legal regulation, nuclear security and their historical background |
| Class 2 | Ethical decision for nuclear development (Sagara/another lecturer) | Students shall have strong ethical values and ethical decision making regarding nuclear power development. |
| Class 3 | Atomic Energy Basic Act and Nuclear Reactor Regulation Law（Akatsuka） | Atomic Energy Basic Act and relevant regulations, Nuclear Reactor Regulation Law and regulations |
| Class 4 | Confirmation and exercises of understandings of knowledges to be a Licensed Engineer of Nuclear Reactors （Akatsuka） | Exercises of license examinations for a licensed engineer of nuclear reactors, particularly, relevant laws and regulations |
| Class 5 | Laws and regulations for the regulation of radioisotopes/radiation and prevention of radiation hazards (Permission and notification; Requirement for facility; Rules on use and keeping), Exercises（Matsumoto） | "Act on the Regulations of Radioisotopes, etc." and related regulations Examinations for 1st Class Radiation Protection Supervisor |
| Class 6 | Laws and regulations for the regulation of radioisotopes/radiation and prevention of radiation hazards (Rules on transport and disposal; Measurement and record; Training and medical check; Radiation Protection Supervisor), Exercises（Matsumoto） | "Act on the Regulations of Radioisotopes, etc." and related regulations Examinations for 1st Class Radiation Protection Supervisor |
| Class 7 | Laws and regulations related to the accident at TEPCO's Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant as well as guidelines related to waste management of radioactive materials （Tsukahara） | Understand the laws and regulations related to waste management of accident-derived radioactive materials, and explain how to foster understanding of environmental restoration projects. |
Study advice (preparation and review)
To enhance effective learning, students are encouraged to spend approximately 100 minutes preparing for class and another 100 minutes reviewing class content afterwards (including assignments) for each class.
They should do so by referring to textbooks and other course material.
Textbook(s)
Nothing special
Reference books, course materials, etc.
"Nuclear Regulatory relationship statute book, 2019" Taisei Publishing co.Ltd, ISBN 978-4-8028-3219-9
"Laws and regulations of the guidance of meaningful Nuclear Regulatory relationship" Kenkichi Hirose, Taisei Publishing co.Ltd, ＩＳＢＮ978-4-8028-2983-0
"Introduction of radiation" Ed. by Tokushi Shibata, Tsusho Sangyo Kenkyusha, ISBN 978-4-86045-108-0
"Exercise books for Radiation Protection Supervisor of 1st Class" Tsusho Sangyo Kenkyusha, ISBN 978-4-86045-090-8
Evaluation methods and criteria
【Academic assessment】 Exercises and term-end reports assigned by 4 instructors
Related courses
- NCL.B401 ： Radiation Biology and Medicine
- NCL.N407 ： Nuclear Safety Engineering
- NCL.N409 ： Nuclear Energy Systems
- NCL.C402 ： Radioactive Waste Management and Disposal Engineering
Prerequisites
Nothing special