Japan’s nuclear watchdog is investigating a potential security breach after one of its employees lost a government-issued phone containing sensitive information while traveling in China, according to local media reports.
The employee, who works for the Nuclear Regulation Authority (NRA), reportedly misplaced the phone during a personal visit to Shanghai. The device, issued for emergency response purposes, stored confidential contact details of staff involved in nuclear security operations, including efforts to protect nuclear materials from threats such as theft or terrorism.
Reports indicate the phone was lost on November 3 during a security check at Shanghai’s airport. The employee did not realize the device was missing until three days later. Attempts to recover it through airport authorities were unsuccessful, and the NRA has said it is unable to determine whether any of the data stored on the phone has been accessed or compromised.
Following the incident, the NRA notified Japan’s Personal Information Protection Commission and issued an internal advisory warning employees not to take work-issued phones overseas during personal trips.
The breach has raised concerns at a delicate moment for Japan’s nuclear industry. The country is in the process of restarting reactors that were shut down after the 2011 Fukushima nuclear accident, a crisis that prompted the establishment of the NRA as an independent body tasked with strengthening oversight and safety.
The incident also follows a string of recent security lapses within Japan’s nuclear sector. Last year, an employee at the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa Nuclear Power Plant left a bundle of confidential documents on the roof of a car, resulting in their loss. In another case at the same facility, a worker improperly copied and stored classified materials.
Separately, the NRA recently halted its safety review of Chubu Electric Power’s Hamaoka nuclear power plant after the company admitted it may have relied on selective data during inspections. The regulator cited the fabrication of key inspection data, adding to concerns about compliance standards as Japan seeks to revive its nuclear energy program.
