One of the main challenges facing radiological protection experts is how to integrate radiological protection within modern concepts of and approaches to risk governance. It is within this context that the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) decided to develop new general recommendations to replace its Publication 60 recommendations of 1990. In the process of developing these new recommendations, the views of the ICRP have evolved significantly, largely due to stakeholder involvement that has been actively solicited by the ICRP. In this regard, it was upheld during the First Asian Regional Conference organised by the NEA in October 2002 that the implementation of the new system must allow for regional, societal and cultural differences.

In order to ensure appropriate consideration of these differences, the NEA organised the Second Asian Regional Conference on the Evolution of the System of Radiological Protection. Held in Tokyo on 28-29 July 2004, the conference included presentations by the ICRP Chair as well as by radiological experts from Australia, China, Japan and Korea. Within their specific cultural and socio-political milieu, Asia-Pacific and western ways of thought on how to improve the current system of radiological protection were presented and discussed. These ways of thinking, along with a summary of the conference results, are described in these proceedings.

Overview of the Conference
Main Points of the Conference
Welcome Addresses
-Kimihiko Oda, Executive Director for Nuclear Safety, MEXT, Japan
-Shizuyo Kusumi, Commissioner, Nuclear Safety Commission, Japan
-Kazuo Shimomura, Depuity Director, OECD Nuclear Energy Agency
Session 1. Towards the New System of Radiological Protection
-The New IRCP System of Radiological Protection by Roger Clarke
-Implementing the New System: The CRPPH Contribution to the Regulatory Process of Authorisation by Salvatore Frullani
Session 2. Regional Views on the New System of Radiological Protection
-Views on the New ICRP Recommendations from the Japanese Regulatory Authority by Norihiko Yoda
-Views on the New ICRP Recommendations from the Japan Health Physics Society by Kenzo Fujimoto
-Views on the New ICRP Recommendations from the Japanese Utilities by Kunio Miyamaru
-Views on the NEW ICRP Recommendations from the Korean Regulatory Authority by Jaiki Lee
-Views on the New ICRP Recommendations from the Australian Regulatory Authority by John Loy
-Views on the New ICRP Recommendations from the Chinese Regulatory Authority by Zi Qiang Pan
Session 3. Process for Stakeholder Involvement in Radiological Protection Decision Making
-What is Stakeholder Involvement? Lessons from the Case Studies of the Third Workshop by John Patterson
-An Asian View of Stakeholder Involvement by Sadayoshi Kobayashi
-The Stakeholder Involvement Process: Lessons Learned from CRPPH Activities by Jacques Lochard
Session 4. Where Do We Go From Here?
-Summary of the Conference by Hans Riotte
-The Asian Perspective by Shin Aoyama
-The New ICRP System of Radiological Protection by Roger Clarke
-Views on Where the NEA Will Go From Here by Salvatore Frullani
Annex 1. Presentations from the Panel Discussion on Stakeholder Involvement in Radiological Protection Decision Making
Annex 2. List of Participants