Japan’s government may allocate about 50 billion yen ($641 million) for a new nuclear regulator to be formed in April following the Fukushima crisis.
The budget represents an increase of 35 percent from about 37 billion yen allocated for nuclear safety in the year to March 31, the Environment Ministry said in a statement today, after submitting a budget request.
The agency is being formed under the Environment Ministry from the merger of the Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency of the Ministry of Economy Trade and Industry and the Nuclear Safety Commission of Japan, which reports to the Cabinet Office. The bodies were criticized for lapses that contributed to the nuclear disaster.
The new regulator, which plans to employ about 500 people, will inspect nuclear plants and check radiation levels. It will also be in charge of monitoring the health of those affected by the nuclear disaster, according to the statement.
Tokyo Electric Power (9501)’s Fukushima Dai-Ichi plant had meltdowns in three reactors after the March 11 earthquake and tsunami knocked out cooling and power, triggering the worst nuclear crisis since Chernobyl in 1986.
