THE URGENCY OF JAPAN TO RATIFY THE 1997 VIENNA CONVENTION ON CIVIL LIABILITY FOR NUCLEAR DAMAGE (Case Study: Fukushima Nuclear Leakage)

Abstract

In the mid-2015 on March 11th ,2011 Japan was hit by 9.0 magnitude earthquake which triggered tsunami that occurred off the coast of the Pacific Ocean. and the disaster created leakage in Japan nuclear power plant in Fukushima district .It was followed by a small scale to a large scale radiation, which spread not only in Japan territory., but also in another country such as the offshore North America .The impact of the leakage of the nuclear power plant is the radiation occured on a small scale to a large scale. Not just in Japan territory the radiation appears in the another country territory has spread to offshore North America. Furthermore in 2018,a Japanese died because of the radiation from Nuclear power plant leakage. The problem is Japan until does not want to ratify the Vienna convention on civil liability for nuclear damage because Japan government argue that Japan can manage the radiation if Nuclear radiation happens. However,in fact, the radiation spread to North America which impacted to several soldiers in Hawaii who have suffered from radiation. Furthermore, this research tries to analyze the urgency of Japan to ratify Vienna convention and also the challenges or opportunities to perform civil liability Therefore it is very urgent to ratify Vienna convention on nuclear damage 1997. Another way is from IAEA itself It should make the Vienna convention on civil liability for nuclear damage as the main agreement in which all members need to ratify, Therefore the case of Japan could be settled promptly by IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) or Japan can ratify this convention directly . The civil liability system arises from the awareness of the public that for every act that is done whether by individual or in a group, that person or group will not be able to escape liability for any loss caused by the act. And then there is no ban in any country to use nuclear energy for peaceful purposes as long as it has passed the testing of nuclear safety.