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The Weight of Responsibility: Investigating Accidents and Playing an Important Role in National Affairs
  -- You have been much talked about as you are youngest member ever of the Aircraft and Railway Accidents Investigation Commission and a woman as well. Could you tell us about the process of being nominated?

Matsuo: One day, at the end of the last year, a section chief of the Land Ministry called me and said, "I would like to ask you a favor, so I'll visit you with the department director."


-- As is usually the case, he didn't mention the purpose of their visit, did he?

Matsuo: No. What I was thinking at that time was something like, "A department director of that kind of ministry is pretty highly ranked... What is he up to?" So when I was asked to be a member of the accident investigation commission, I was surprised. I thought it wasn't something for a humble scientist like me. But I had a feeling that if I carefully considered the offer I would accept the position, so I said "yes" on the spot. I just thought it would be alright for me to visit the ministry every other week.


-- How has it been since then? I guess you bear heavy responsibility.

Matsuo: It is actually five times as hard as expected. (laugh) If two commission members are absent, the meeting is called off, so I can't afford to miss any. And the meetings last all day, from 10 a.m. until the evening, so I have to spend long hours preparing by reading reference materials. It is hard, but I have taken a positive attitude: I can gain precious experience by playing a significant role in a process that's important for the nation.


-- I have an impression that we rarely see or hear any news about it, but you are so busy.

Aircraft and Railway Accidents Investigation Commission web pageMatsuo: It's true that there is little news about us unless any serious accident happens, but even if there are no accidents, there are a lot of things we need to do. We meticulously investigate not only accidents, but also what we call "significant incidents," which could have led to serious incidents. We discuss these many times to make sure our investigation is accurate and complete; sometimes we find omissions after we go through several sessions. But I hear that there were exceptionally few accidents last year.


-- Still it was five times as hard. (laugh)

Matsuo: That's right.


-- By the way, the serious accidents in the past have led to the acquisition of new knowledge of material properties such as metal fatigue, but I have the impression that there are fewer "groundbreaking" aircraft accidents these days.

Matsuo: Airplanes, particularly large ones, are extremely safe these days, thanks to many improvements since the first flight of the jumbo jet 30 years ago. We have also established a system that enables the international community to share information about problems as soon as they arise.


-- Are you involved in the discussions of the commission as a specialist in the field of detonation and combustion?

Matsuo: No, that's not the case. Each member is allowed to express their opinion in any field. Besides, it would be devastating if accidents related to my specialty were to happen. An accident that happens to a jumbo jet with explosives flying at a speed of Mach... this kind of accident is just impossible.



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