Six decades of nuclear fuel cycle administration in Japan: From delusional obsession to self-perpetuation

This essay identifies the institutional shortcomings of Japan's nuclear fuel cycle administration using three theoretical perspectives related to public administration and technology. First, the prospect theory highlights the historical dimensions, focusing on the technological transition of Japan's nuclear fuel cycles. Additionally, it elaborates the existing path dependency claim by suggesting that the administration makes increasingly risky technological decisions following Japan's 1993 international pledge to control excess plutonium and the 1995 Monju accident. Second, a bounded rationality perspective elucidates the cognitive limitations of Japan's public administration in the technological, economic, and national security dimensions of its nuclear fuel cycle policy. Third, an energy justice framework identifies the socio-environmental injustices caused by the nuclear fuel cycle policy, followed by what needs to be done. Thus, this multi-dimensional analysis of temporal, cognitive, and spacious attributes unfolds the six decades of Japan's nuclear fuel cycle administration as a contingent trans-formation process from the unrequited pursuit of a promised national energy security to a system of self -perpetuation at the cost of public well-being.

Automated summary

This essay discusses the institutional shortcomings of Japan’s nuclear fuel cycle administration from three theoretical perspectives related to public administration and technology. The prospect theory highlights the historical dimensions and emphasizes the administration’s risky technological decisions following international pledges and accidents. The bounded rationality perspective examines the cognitive limitations of the public administration in terms of technology, economics, and national security. The energy justice framework focuses on socio-environmental injustices caused by the nuclear fuel cycle policy and proposes necessary actions.