Radiation Research at Hirosaki University after the Fukushima Accident: Contributions to Public Health, Education, and Community Resilience

Since the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident in 2011, Hirosaki University has conducted a comprehensive program of scientific investigation, radiation dose assessment, technological innovation, risk communication, and community support in collaboration with Namie Town and surrounding municipalities. This review summarizes the university’s major contributions from 2011 to 2025, integrating findings across early-phase emergency response, reconstruction-phase environmental monitoring, analytical method development, and education and outreach activities. Rapid radiation surveys and thyroid dose assessments provided essential evidence for protective actions immediately after the accident, while long-term monitoring clarified spatial and temporal trends in external and internal exposure, quantified the effectiveness of decontamination, and distinguished natural from accident-derived radiation. Advances in radiation detection, such as portable continuous air monitors, optimized filters, and high-sensitivity analytical protocols ( 3 H, 90 Sr, 137 Cs, and actinides), enhanced Japan’s preparedness for future radiological emergencies. Studies of radionuclide behavior in terrestrial and aquatic environments, including riverine speciation, coastal dispersion, and plant uptake, improved understanding of long-term environmental transport. Parallel risk communication efforts, educational programs, and nature-based learning initiatives supported psychological recovery, strengthened radiation literacy, and contributed to community resilience. Collectively, these activities demonstrate how integrated scientific and community-engaged approaches in radiation medicine and environmental protection can advance the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being), SDG 14 (Life Below Water), and SDG 15 (Life on Land). The Hirosaki University model provides a replicable framework for sustainable recovery following nuclear emergencies. • Early-phase surveys provided essential data for Fukushima emergency decisions. • Long-term monitoring clarified trends in external and internal radiation doses • New air monitors and analytical methods improved radiological preparedness. • Risk communication and education strengthened community resilience post-disaster. • Integrated activities advanced SDGs on health, land, and marine environmental safety.