There have been many recent nuclear accidents that have been occuring in Japa, some include one in 1995, 1997, 1999, 2002, and two in 2004.
– December 1995: Sodium leaked in a secondary cooling system at the Monju prototype fast-breeder reactor operated by the state-run Power Reactor and Nuclear Fuel Development Corp., or Donen. No one was injured in that accident, and no radioactivity escaped, but Donen was found to have concealed videotape footage that showed the extensive damage to the reactor.
– March 1997: At least 37 workers were exposed to low doses of radiation at a March 11 fire and explosion at a nuclear reprocessing plant operated by Donen in Tokaimura, northeast of Tokyo. Donen later admitted to initially suppressing information about the fire.
– September 1999: Two workers were killed in a radiation leak at a fuel-reprocessing plant in Tokaimura when they tried to save time by mixing excessive amounts of uranium in buckets instead of using special mechanized tanks. Hundreds were exposed to radiation, and thousands of residents evacuated. The government assigned the accident a level 4 rating on the International Nuclear Event Scale ranging from 1 to 7.
– February 2002: Two workers were exposed to a small amount of radiation and suffered minor burns when they accidentally punctured a spray can that ignited a plastic sheet during an inspection at Onagawa Nuclear Power Station in northern Japan.
– February 2004: Eight workers were exposed to low-level radiation at another power plant in Tsuruga, western Japan, when they were accidentally sprayed with contaminated water. The doses were not considered dangerous.
– Aug. 9, 2004: A cooling pipe at a power plant in Mihama burst, burning at least four workers to death and injuring seven others with a scorching explosion of steam. No radiation was released.