U.S.-Japan collaboration turns out “Super Engineers”

[Marlin]

https://www.ans.org/news/2026-05-27/article-7956/usjapan-collaboration-turns-out-super-engineers/

[News Wire]

Japanese engineering students are currently supporting reactor restarts and decommissioning efforts after completing a specialized training program. The Super Engineer Project, active from 2015 to 2017, utilized partnerships with U.S. institutions to provide students with technical expertise in radiation protection and safety culture through mentorship and site visits.

This initiative aimed to improve safety standards in Japan following the 2011 Fukushima Daiichi accident. By integrating U.S. operational practices and safety protocols, the program prepared a new generation of professionals to manage the complexities of nuclear power generation. These efforts remain relevant as Japan works toward its long-term energy goals.

Before the Fukushima Daiichi accident in March 2011, nuclear power from 54 reactors provided about 30 percent of Japan's electricity. In the wake of the disaster, Japan shut down every one of its reactors.

Recently, the country has been restarting its nuclear power plants. Among its current fleet of 33 operable reactors, fewer than half have been restarted. Nuclear power is currently providing about 8.5 percent of Japan's electricity (with natural gas and coal accounting for more than 60 percent).

The Japanese government's present energy plan, announced last year, calls for nuclear power to meet 20 percent of the country's electricity needs by 2040. While the government views nuclear as a crucial asset toward meeting its goal of net zero emissions by 2050, public support for nuclear energy also continues to increase. A 2012 Pew Research poll—conducted one year after the Fukushima Daiichi disaster—indicated that 70 percent of the public opposed nuclear power. However, a 2022 poll by...

Read the full article at ans.org:
https://www.ans.org/news/2026-05-27/article-7956/usjapan-collaboration-turns-out-super-engineers/