Goshi Hosono, minister in charge of handling the nuclear crisis, said that a new regulatory body for atomic power should be established by April.
Prime Minister Kan has suggested making the Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency an independent watchdog by splitting it from the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry.
Hosono said it is important to attempt unification of the nuclear safety agency and the Cabinet Office's Nuclear Safety Commission of Japan. He also suggested that the new body should incorporate the radiation monitoring fonctions currently under the jurisdiction of the Science Ministry.
On whether the new body should be an independent commission separate from government, Hosono said, "I wonder if we can bring the benefits of both into one. I hope it will be a reliable administrative organization that can also serve the role of communicating views freely."
Japan Times, Monday, July 18, 2011.

This sounds more like a re-arrangement of the furniture rather than an effective separation of supervision and government.

In other news, Prime Minister Kan and Gosho Hosano said the government may look into easing the 20-km no-entry zone when the radiation-spewing reactors are stabilized.