The Fifth 2018 Fukushima Research Conference (FRC).

The Collaborative Laboratories for Advanced Decommissioning Science (CLADS), Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA), held the fifth FY2018 Fukushima Research Conference at the “Manabi-no-Mori” (partly held at the International Collaborative Building of CLADS) in Tomioka Town, Futaba County, Fukushima Prefecture, from November 26 to 27, 2018. In order to promote the future research on decommissioning, the upgrading of the remote technology and robotics have recently attracted much attention because these technologies can reduce the radiation exposure to the workers on site. Under such circumstance, the present conference entitled “Radiation Hardness, Smartness and Measurement in Remote Technology for the Decommissioning of Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Station” was held to expand the application of robot technology to nuclear energy field. In this conference, the participants exchanged the latest opinion focusing on the technological development of radiation hardness of instruments, their operation under severe radiation environment, and the upgrading of the technology to measure under such high radiation environment.

On the first day, the conference was open to the general public with simultaneous interpretation. At the beginning, Mr. Daniel Iracane, Deputy Director of the OECD/Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA) made an opening speech. Then, Professor Hajime Asama of the University of Tokyo presented “The present status and future subjects of remote control technology towards the decommissioning of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station”. Next, Professor Emeritus W.R. Hamel of the University of Tennessee presented a lecture on “Experiences and perspective in robot and remote control systems in nuclear environment”, and Professor Emeritus Hideo Hirayama of the High Energy Accelerator Research Organization talked about “Concept of radiation dose and the radiation field at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station”. Through these lectures, discussion was made as to the remote technology under high radiation field, the present status and future subjects on radiation dose evaluation, and the future perspectives and focal points.

In the present conference, the domestic and oversea experts on remote technology under high radiation field, development of radiation-resistant devices, and visualization of contamination distribution presented lectures. The eight presentations were made on the first day. On the second day, twelve lectures (UK, US, etc.) were presented as well as the panel discussion by five researchers. Through the discussion, it is expected that the importance of the development of remote control technology, radiation-resistant devices and the technology to visualize radiation distribution will be reconfirmed for promoting the decommissioning of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station.

In this conference, the exhibition of the companies was held for the first time. Seventeen companies participated in the exhibition, and showed instruments and made presentation. The demonstration of the walking of small robot was also presented.

On the second day, the seminars for the experts and the poster presentations (24 presentations) by young researchers including students were also held. The excellent presentations were awarded the poster prize. It is expected that such award will stimulate young researchers to promote the research of decommissioning.

After the conference, the visiting tour to the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station and the Naraha Center for Remote Control Technology Development was held on November 28. About 330 people including the foreigners participated in the tour.