Analysis of the Activities of the Website “Question and Answer about Radiation in Daily Life” after the Accident at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station and Some Lessons Learned from It

Kono, Takahiko; Shimo, Michikuni; Hayakawa, Hisao; Taniguchi, Kazufumi; Tanaka, Masato; Tanaka, Hitomi; Onoue, Yosuke; Nagaya, Hiroshi; Torii, H. A.; Uno, Kazuko

doi:10.5453/jhps.55.226

Cited by 3 publications

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“…This paper reviews the activities of the Q&A website from the time of the accident until its closure in February 2013, and summarizes the lessons learned, including those that have already been published. In addition, this paper is the translation of a previously published one [7] written in Japanese in order to widely disseminate experiences gained from this activity both domestically and internationally.…”

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confidence: 99%

Analysis of the Activities of the Website “Question and Answer about Radiation in Daily Life” after the Accident at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant and Some Lessons Learned from It: To Pass on This Experience to the Future

Kono

Tanaka²,

Tanaka³

et al. 2022

J Radiat Prot Res

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After the accident at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant, artificial radionuclides such as radioactive cesium and iodine were released into the environment. It caused great anxiety not only in the vicinity of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant but also in other regions of the world. Some members of the Japan Health Physics Society (JHPS), a leading academic society in Japan in the field of radiation protection, volunteered to establish a website called “Question and Answer (Q&A) about radiation in daily life” shortly after the accident to help reduce the residents’ anxiety about the health effects of radiation. In August 2011, “Committee for Q&A about radiation in daily life” was established in JHPS, making the website-related activities a responsibility of JHPS. The Q&A website continued to respond to the questions from the general public with expertise and sincerity until February 2013 when the Committee members decided to end the activities because the number of questions received had gradually decreased with the passage of time. This paper aims to introduce the following: the activities of the Q&A website during the two years (2011–2013), the stance chosen for the activities, the information related to the website activities and the analysis of Twitter data. Building on the experience and the knowledge obtained from the activities, it also discusses issues and experiences that can be utilized in the initial response to emergencies for radiation protection experts as well as those in other fields.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Analysis of the Activities of the Website “Question and Answer about Radiation in Daily Life” after the Accident at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant and Some Lessons Learned from It: To Pass on This Experience to the Future

Kono

Tanaka²,

Tanaka³

et al. 2022

J Radiat Prot Res

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“…On (1), facilitate access to scientific data; provide reliable data to experts and the public individually (because the needs and purpose of both groups are different); improve the IAEA's cooperation and communication methods; ensure transparent decision-making; and promote communication based on facts, specifically the measured data. On (2), improving the ability to express expert opinions and to communicate with the public; provide information on the level of risk following an accident; sharing timely question and answer (Q&A) and continuing dialogue (especially important on food products); and building an international approach, cooperation between KARP and JHPS.…”

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confidence: 99%

“…Currently, KARP and JHPS have established a contact point to further promote communication, and are planning to exchange information by e-mail and other means, as well as to hold regular web conferences. Regarding the communication with the society, immediately after the accident, JHPS opened a Q&A page [2,3] and provided information based on facts, but the content of questions from the public changed as time passed. With the release of tritiated water, a new phase in the decommissioning of the nuclear power plant, and the change in public interest, it may be time to reconsider what the role of experts is, what RP experts can do, and how to set them up.…”

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Role and Collaboration of Radiation Protection Experts: Summary of Discussions between the Japan Health Physics Society and the Korean Association of Radiation Protection Related to Tritiated Water

et al. 2022

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Examples of practical activities related to public understanding of radiation risk following the Fukushima nuclear accident

et al. 2020

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After the Fukushima nuclear accident in Japan, a number of practical activities related to public understanding (PU) of radiation risks were implemented inside and outside Fukushima Prefecture. The various noteworthy approaches and strategies behind those practical activities have not been organized and made explicit thus far. In this study, we have organized the noteworthy practical activities related to PU of radiation risks following the Fukushima nuclear accident, and discussed them mainly from the standpoints of communication strategies and approaches. As several examples demonstrate, efforts to contextualize and localize radiation risk in various forms were observed during post-accident recovery in Fukushima, and these efforts were confirmed, through actual experiences, to be an important component of effective PU activities of radiation risks. Community-based or citizen science approaches, such as having affected residents or citizens to measure radioactivity, have contributed to the PU of radiological situations, but some challenges, such as ethical aspects and the handling of uncertainty, have also been revealed. In the era of information and communications technology, a number of citizens, experts, and agencies have made social media a popular platform for disseminating radiation risk messages to the public and have demonstrated that social media can play an important role in providing radiological risk information. The knowledge and lessons learned from the practical activities discussed in this study can be useful in enhancing PU of risks not only radiation but also other stressors such as toxic chemicals, preparing future disasters and supporting risk communication plans during recovery periods after disasters.

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Analysis of the Activities of the Website “Question and Answer about Radiation in Daily Life” after the Accident at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station and Some Lessons Learned from It

Cited by 3 publications

References 3 publications

Analysis of the Activities of the Website “Question and Answer about Radiation in Daily Life” after the Accident at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant and Some Lessons Learned from It: To Pass on This Experience to the Future

Analysis of the Activities of the Website “Question and Answer about Radiation in Daily Life” after the Accident at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant and Some Lessons Learned from It: To Pass on This Experience to the Future

Role and Collaboration of Radiation Protection Experts: Summary of Discussions between the Japan Health Physics Society and the Korean Association of Radiation Protection Related to Tritiated Water

Examples of practical activities related to public understanding of radiation risk following the Fukushima nuclear accident

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