Emergency response by robots to Fukushima-Daiichi accident: summary and lessons learned

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to extract lessons learned from the Fukushima-Daiichi accident, caused by a big earthquake and a huge tsunami, which occurred on 11 March 2011. Design/methodology/approach - Lessons learned are extracted after summarizing emergency response by robots to the Fukushima-Daiichi accident. Findings - Many lessons had been learned from the experiences on robots' emergency response to the accident; organization and operation scheme, and systemization were major lessons learned. Practical implications - Unmanned constructive heavy machines and robots donated from the USA or imported from Sweden did reconnaissance work and cleaning up of rubble outside of buildings. Quince and JAEA-3 were deployed for reconnaissance inside buildings. Social implications - The Japanese nuclear disaster response robotics developed after Japan Conversion Corporation's critical accident occurred in 1999, could not work when the Fukushima-Daiichi accident occurred on 11 March 2011. Originality/value - The paper emphasizes the importance of establishing emergency response schemes when a nuclear disaster occurs.