The OECD Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA), the Nuclear Damage Compensation and Decommissioning Facilitation Corporation (NDF) and the Nuclear Regulation Authority (NRA) of Japan jointly organised the 15-Year Fukushima Daiichi Accident International Workshop on 27–28 June 2026 in Futaba Town, Fukushima, Japan.
The workshop brought together approximately 200 participants from regulatory authorities, research organisations, industry, international organisations, local governments and communities, both from Japan and abroad. Discussions focused on lessons learnt from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident, recent progress in accident analysis and decommissioning, long-term decision-making challenges, stakeholder engagement, and international co-operation.
The significance of hosting the workshop in Futaba
In his welcome remarks, Shirou Izawa, Mayor of Futaba, presented the current situation of the town 15 years after the accident and its ongoing recovery efforts. While a large part of the town remains under restricted access, gradual progress has been made with the return of residents, the reopening of commercial facilities, and future plans for education and community rebuilding.
Holding the workshop in Futaba highlighted that the decommissioning of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant is not solely a technical undertaking within the plant site, but a long-term societal project closely linked to regional recovery, livelihoods, industry development and human resource capacity.
Welcome remarks by Shirou Izawa, Mayor of Futaba
Opening messages: Linking lessons learnt to future safety
In the opening remarks, NRA Chairman Shinsuke Yamanaka emphasised the importance of preserving the lessons learnt from the Fukushima Daiichi accident and continuously strengthening safety culture which requires ongoing vigilance, learning and preparedness in the face of uncertainties.
He also highlighted the evolution of the regulatory approach for decommissioning, shifting from short-term planning toward a longer-term, risk-informed framework that integrates technical judgement with societal responsibility.
In subsequent remarks, NEA Director-General William D. Magwood, IV stressed that the Fukushima Daiichi accident has prompted a reassessment of nuclear safety worldwide, underlining the importance of resilience, human factors, safety culture, emergency preparedness and effective communication with the public.
Opening remarks by NEA Director-General William D. Magwood, IV
Day 1: Understanding accidents and applying lessons learnt to the present
The first day focused on reviewing lessons learnt from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident and exploring how they can be applied to current and future nuclear safety practices.
Key discussions reflected on the limitations in learning from past major accidents and the challenges in sustaining continuous improvement in safety. Participants shared how countries have strengthened safety frameworks, including risk-informed regulation, defense-in-depth, enhanced transparency, and improved emergency response systems.
Post-Fukushima measures, such as deployment of mobile emergency equipment, strategies to cope with extended loss of power, strengthened containment systems, and reinforcement against extreme external hazards, were presented as part of global efforts to improve resilience.
The discussions also highlighted that nuclear accidents are not purely technical events but also societal ones, involving organisational factors, governance, communication and public trust. Leadership, transparency, independence of regulatory bodies and stakeholder engagement were recognised as fundamental elements of long-term safety.
Day 2: The future of decommissioning and long-term decision making
Across the discussions on the second day, participants shared a common understanding that the Fukushima Daiichi decommissioning programme is reaching a transition point. After progressing through the initial phase of stabilisation, it is now moving toward a more complex stage which involves fuel debris retrieval, waste management and sustained site management.
This next phase also includes significant constraints in resources, time and space, as well as the need to align decommissioning activities with regional recovery and societal expectations.
At the same time, it was recognised that decommissioning remains at an early stage, with knowledge from on-site investigations only beginning to accumulate. Participants also emphasised the importance of preventing the fading of lessons learnt and ensuring their continuous application over the long term.
Over two days, the workshop featured a wide range of presentations, panel discussions and keynote speeches
International co-operation and knowledge transfer
Throughout the workshop, participants emphasised that the experience from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident must be shared globally. The knowledge gained is relevant not only for Japan but for the entire international community dealing with nuclear safety, decommissioning, waste management, emergency preparedness and stakeholder engagement.
Ensuring that future professionals inherit not only data but also the context, experience and decision-making rationale remains a critical challenge.
