Using and Explaining Individual Dosimetry Data: Case Study of Four Municipalities in Fukushima

Measurement of individual radiation dose is crucial for planning protective measures after nuclear accidents. The purpose of this article is to explain the various initiatives taken after the TEPCO Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident, including the D-shuttle project wherein residents from...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Asia-Pacific journal of public health 2017-03, Vol.29 (2), p.110S-119S
Main Author: Miyazaki, Makoto
Format: Article
Language:English
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Summary:Measurement of individual radiation dose is crucial for planning protective measures after nuclear accidents. The purpose of this article is to explain the various initiatives taken after the TEPCO Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident, including the D-shuttle project wherein residents from affected areas wore a personal dosimeter to measure their own external exposure. The experience in Fukushima revealed several issues such as gaining residents’ trust and ensuring appropriate communication of the measured data. The D-shuttle project also revealed that obtaining individual dose measurement data had 2 purposes, as the information obtained was to be utilized by the residents for self-protection and by the authorities for deriving the dose distribution of the population to aid in designing large-scale protection measures. The lessons learned are that both the residents and the authorities need to understand and share the meaning of individual dose measurements and the measurement results must be used with due respect for the residents’ privacy and other concerns.
ISSN:1010-5395
1941-2479
DOI:10.1177/1010539517693082