Overview of human factors research in Japan

The importance of human factors in nuclear power plant operations was addressed in Japan after the Three Mile Island accident in 1979. In 1986, the Chernobyl accident provided the impetus for enforcing this recognition. The report by the Nuclear Safety Commission regarding the causes and lessons learned from this accident emphasized the necessity of human factors research. The safety improvement plan drafted by the government in August 1986 included human factors as one of the most important areas. The Nuclear Power Engineering Corporation (NUPEC) established the Institute of Human Factors as the government's research organization and the Central Research Institute of Electric Power Industry (CRIEPI) as the private sector's research organization in 1987. Furthermore, the Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute (JAERI) established its Human Factors Research Laboratory