ABSTRACT
145The Fukushima nuclear power plant accident was extremely shocking. Many have argued that we should learn from the disaster and improve our technology, institutional frameworks, organizational cultures, and many other aspects of society to prevent another tragedy involving advanced science and technology. Indeed, many practical lessons and recommendations have been itemized in various fields. Some of them suggested technical improvements to nuclear power plants. Others identified problems with organizational behaviours and possible remedies. There has also been a series of ethical reflections that place the blame on negligent nuclear experts. Apart from these, we call attention here to different perspectives to grasp the mechanism behind the accident, the mechanism which has contributed to reproducing serious negative incidents with devastating consequences in the complex science-technology-society interface. If the mechanism continues to work, similar patterns should be repeated in different times and places despite the many ‘improvements’ that were supposedly made.
