On July 5, 2018, the Japan Atomic Energy Commission (JAEC) under the Cabinet Office, government of Japan, published the White Paper on Nuclear Energy 2017. The paper summarizes the current state of the Japanese nuclear energy industry’s development and its nuclear safety activities, and recent changes in attitudes surrounding nuclear energy. It also highlights the importance of stakeholders’ participation in activities, based on lessons learned from the Fukushima accident. The white paper stresses the need to strengthen interactive dialogues between government officials/industry members and the public, encourage public engagement and provide the public with accurate information and objective facts, to reduce public distrust and anxiety about nuclear energy, which remains after 7 years since the accident. The paper also underlines the importance of maintaining the long-term stable use of nuclear power, as it is necessary for greenhouse gas reduction.

The White Paper on Nuclear Energy has been released annually since 1956 through 2010, the year before the Fukushima accident. The subsequent issues after the 2009 edition were suspended, as the Japanese government was responding to the Fukushima accident and was considering the reform of the JAEC at the time. The White Paper was resumed for the first time last year.