Fukushima Earthquake/Tsunami and Nuclear Accident

Assess how organizational culture and regulatory capture lead to avoidable crises.  
Write a memo and briefly explain how the organizational structure of the Nuclear Industrial Safety Agency (NISA) prevented this regulator from mandating/requiring TEPCO to take necessary safety steps to prepare the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant for a Tsunami to mitigate a nuclear meltdown (follow the memo assessment format).

Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Crisis: How Special Interests Comprised the Public Interest and The Dysfunctions of Regulatory Agencies

Topic: Background of the Crisis and Decision Analysis and Ethical Dilemmas and Executive Decision-Making
The video in this folder explores how the nuclear industry influenced public policy in Japan which comprised public safety.  We explore how this phenomenon created challenges in decision-making to manage the crisis.

• Watch – Inside Japan's Nuclear Meltdown (PBS Frontline), Click here

This PBS presentation examines the decision response to the nuclear meltdown on March 11, 2011. As you watch this examination, observe the decision-making style and approaches of various actors. After you view the PBS video above, you must read the executive summary below and then respond to the key questions in the discussion board forum entitled "Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Crisis: How Special Interests Comprise Public Interest."

• Required Reading - The Fukushima Nuclear Accident Independent Investigation Committee. 2012 The Fukushima Nuclear Accident: Executive Summary. The National Diet of Japan. Tokyo, Japan, Click here
  • Understanding Ethical Dilemmas
  • Understanding Regulatory Capture and Its Impact Executive Decision-Making