Search Results for Japantag:fissilematerials.org,2024:/cgi-bin/mt//feed/Japan2024-03-29T15:04:53ZMovable Type 6.3.610511052022 civilian plutonium declarations submitted to the IAEAtag:fissilematerials.org,2024:/blog//3.11702024-03-25T16:12:12Z2024-03-25T16:14:01ZAdmin
This post contains a summary of INFCIRC/549 reports by the countries that submit annual civilian plutonium declarations that reflect the status of civilian plutonium stocks as of 31 December 2022. The total amount of plutonium declared as civilian was about...
Japan's never ending reprocessing sagatag:fissilematerials.org,2023:/blog//3.11632023-11-23T09:56:01Z2023-12-05T21:00:24ZAdmin
Tatsujiro Suzuki According to a Reuters report of 19 October 2023, Japan Nuclear Fuel Ltd (JNFL) still hopes to finish construction of Japan's long-delayed Rokkasho reprocessing plant in the first half of FY 2024 (i.e. during April-September 2024). Already more...
Status of plutonium management in Japan in 2022tag:fissilematerials.org,2023:/blog//3.11602023-07-18T07:37:19Z2023-08-29T07:42:42ZAdmin
The government of Japan released The Status Report of Plutonium Management in Japan - 2022, which details its plutonium holdings. According to the report, As of the end of 2022, the total amount of separated plutonium both managed within and...
Japan's plutonium utilization plan delayed againtag:fissilematerials.org,2023:/blog//3.11482023-03-19T16:09:19Z2023-03-19T16:12:41ZAdmin
Masafumi Takubo On 17 February 2023 Japan's Federation of Electric Power Companies (FEPC) announced a new Plutonium Utilization Plan. According to the plan, Japan's eleven nuclear utilities will load mixed-oxide (MOX) fuel containing an average of 0.7 tons plutonium annually...
2021 civilian plutonium declarations submitted to the IAEAtag:fissilematerials.org,2023:/blog//3.11452023-01-27T16:15:15Z2023-03-09T18:31:04ZAdmin
This post contains a summary of INFCIRC/549 reports by the countries that submit annual civilian plutonium declarations that reflect the status of civilian plutonium stocks as of 31 December 2021. The total amount of plutonium declared as civilian was about...
Japan's Rokkasho reprocessing plant, 25 years behind schedule, delayed againtag:fissilematerials.org,2023:/blog//3.11432023-01-08T09:11:27Z2023-01-08T09:37:32ZAdmin
Masafumi Takubo and Frank von Hippel On 26 December 2022, Japan Nuclear Fuel Limited announced another delay in completion of the Rokkasho Reprocessing Plant. The plant is already 25 years late; completion was originally scheduled for 1997 (in 2020 the...
All HEU removed from the Kyoto University Critical Assemblytag:fissilematerials.org,2022:/blog//3.11402022-08-09T19:54:20Z2022-09-27T19:56:06ZAdmin
U.S. National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) and Japan's and Japan's Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) announced the removal of 45 kg of HEU that was used in the Kyoto University Critical Assembly (KUCA). In March 2022,...
Status of plutonium management in Japan in 2021tag:fissilematerials.org,2022:/blog//3.11292022-07-12T10:00:31Z2022-08-04T10:05:01ZAdmin
The government of Japan released The Status Report of Plutonium Management in Japan - 2021, which details its plutonium holdings. According to the report, As of the end of 2021, the total amount of separated plutonium both managed within and...
France will accept plutonium from Japan's Fugen reactortag:fissilematerials.org,2022:/blog//3.11332022-06-21T06:57:56Z2022-08-05T06:59:48ZAdmin
Spent fuel of Japan's Fugen Advanced Thermal Reactor will be reprocessed in France. According to an agreement reached by the two governments, plutonium extracted from the fuel will remain in France while high-level waste will be returned to Japan. The...
Removal of HEU from three Japan's research facilitiestag:fissilematerials.org,2022:/blog//3.11312022-05-23T15:00:09Z2022-08-04T15:01:25ZAdmin
The United States and Japan announced the removal of about 30 kg of HEU from three research sites in Japan: University of Tokyo's Yayoi Research Reactor Japan Atomic Energy Agency's Deuterium Critical Assembly Japan Atomic Energy Agency's Japan Research Reactor...
Spent fuel of Monju reactor to be reprocessed in Francetag:fissilematerials.org,2022:/blog//3.11352022-03-30T07:25:54Z2022-08-05T07:43:18ZAdmin
The Japan Atomic Energy Agency plans to send the spent fuel of the Monju reactor for reprocessing to France. Assuming that the JAEA and Orano agree on the terms of the contract, the shipments will begin in 2034 and be...
Shipment of MOX fuel from France to Japantag:fissilematerials.org,2021:/blog//3.11282021-11-17T09:58:14Z2022-08-04T09:59:32ZAdmin
A shipment of plutonium-containing MOX fuel that left Cherbourg Harbor, France, on 8 September 2021, arrived in Japan on 17 November 2021. According to Orano, it was the 7th shipment of this kind. It contained 16 MOX fuel assemblies supplied...
2020 civilian plutonium declarations submitted to the IAEAtag:fissilematerials.org,2021:/blog//3.11152021-10-24T12:40:13Z2022-02-18T07:46:18ZAdmin
This post contains a summary of INFCIRC/549 reports by the countries that submit annual civilian plutonium declarations that reflect the status of civilian plutonium stocks as of 31 December 2020. Japan (INFCIRC/549/Add.1-24) reported owning the total of 46.1 tons of...
Status of plutonium management in Japan in 2020tag:fissilematerials.org,2021:/blog//3.11162021-07-09T13:38:27Z2021-10-24T13:40:51ZAdmin
The government of Japan released The Status Report of Plutonium Management in Japan - 2020, which details its plutonium holdings. According to the report, As of the end of 2020, the total amount of separated plutonium both managed within and...
2019 civilian plutonium and HEU declarations submitted to the IAEAtag:fissilematerials.org,2020:/blog//13.33932020-09-05T20:20:25Z2021-10-24T13:42:27ZAdmin
This post contains a summary of INFCIRC/549 reports by the countries that submit annual civilian plutonium declarations that reflect the status of civilian plutonium stocks as of 31 December 2019. Japan (INFCIRC/549/Add.1-23) reported owning the total of 45.5 tons of...
Status of plutonium management in Japan in 2019tag:fissilematerials.org,2020:/blog//13.33922020-08-21T14:24:09Z2021-08-31T14:50:21ZAdmin
The government of Japan released The Status Report of Plutonium Management in Japan - 2019, which details its plutonium holdings. According to the report, As of the end of 2019, the total amount of separated plutonium both managed within and...
Launch of the Rokkasho reprocessing plant is postponed until 2022tag:fissilematerials.org,2020:/blog//13.33962020-08-21T13:07:31Z2021-08-31T14:50:21ZAdmin
The Japan Nuclear Fuel Limited, the operator of the Rokkasho reprocessing plant, has delayed the launch of the plant until at least "the first half of fiscal 2022." In May 2020, the facility passed safety checks and received an approval...
2018 civilian plutonium and HEU declarations submitted to the IAEAtag:fissilematerials.org,2019:/blog//13.33602019-12-18T16:53:11Z2021-08-31T14:50:18ZAdmin
This post contains a summary of INFCIRC/549 reports by the countries that submit annual civilian plutonium declarations that reflect the status of civilian plutonium stocks as of 31 December 2018. Japan (INFCIRC/549/Add.1-22) reported owning the total of 45.7 tons of...
Japan's uranium enrichment plant in Rokkasho shipped little product since 2012tag:fissilematerials.org,2019:/blog//13.33562019-10-14T19:19:46Z2021-08-31T14:50:18ZAdmin
On 24 May 2018 Japan Nuclear Fuel Limited (JNFL) shipped 4 tonnes of LEU hexafluoride to the Mitsubishi Nuclear Fuel fabrication plant. TooNippo, a local paper in Aomori, reported at that time that it was the 25th shipment of uranium...
Status of plutonium management in Japan in 2018tag:fissilematerials.org,2019:/blog//13.33482019-07-30T11:12:14Z2021-08-31T14:50:18ZAdmin
The government of Japan released The Status Report of Plutonium Management in Japan - 2018, which details its plutonium holdings. According to the report, As of the end of 2018, the total amount of separated plutonium both managed within and...
2017 civilian plutonium declarations submitted to IAEAtag:fissilematerials.org,2018:/blog//13.33062018-09-19T09:51:01Z2021-08-31T14:50:16ZAdmin
This post contains a summary of INFCIRC/549 reports by the countries that submit annual civilian plutonium declarations that reflect the status of civilian plutonium stocks as of 31 December 2017. The post will be updated as more states submit their...
Japan's new policy on its plutonium stockpiletag:fissilematerials.org,2018:/blog//13.32972018-08-20T11:07:52Z2018-08-20T12:04:46ZAdmin
Tatsujiro Suzuki and Masa Takubo On 31 July 2018, Japan's Atomic Energy Commission (JAEC) issued a new policy paper, The Basic Principles on Japan's Utilization of Plutonium, which for the first time, stated that "Japan will reduce the size of...
Status of plutonium management in Japan in 2017tag:fissilematerials.org,2018:/blog//13.33012018-07-31T22:49:16Z2021-08-31T14:50:15ZAdmin
The government of Japan released The Status Report of Plutonium Management in Japan - 2017, which details its plutonium holdings. According to the report, As of the end of 2017, the total amount of separated plutonium both managed within and...
Japan approves a plan to decommission Tokai-mura reprocessing planttag:fissilematerials.org,2018:/blog//13.32902018-06-16T16:47:34Z2021-08-31T14:50:15ZAdmin
Japan's Nuclear Regulation Authority (NRA) approved a plan to decommission the Tokai-mura reprocessing plant. According to the plan, the decommissioning will take about 70 years to complete. The cost of the project is projected at 1 trillion yen ($9 billion)....
30-year plan approved to decommission Japan's Monju prototype fast-breeder reactortag:fissilematerials.org,2018:/blog//13.32802018-04-04T09:08:50Z2021-08-31T14:50:14ZAdmin
Japan's Nuclear Regulation Authority on March 28 approved a 30-year plan by the Japan Atomic Energy Agency for the decommissioning and dismantlement of the Monju prototype fast-breeder reactor. Monju has a had troubled history, like other fast-breeder reactor (for details,...
Rokkasho plant will not start until 2021tag:fissilematerials.org,2017:/blog//13.32612017-12-22T16:09:12Z2021-08-31T14:50:13ZAdmin
Japan Nuclear Fuel Ltd, operator of the Rokkasho reprocessing plant, announced that the opening of the facility is delayed again, this time for about three years. Japan Nuclear Fuel does not expect operations of the plant to begin earlier than...
Monju reactor is finally shut downtag:fissilematerials.org,2017:/blog//13.32622017-12-13T16:28:23Z2021-08-31T14:50:13ZAdmin
The prototype Monju fast breeder reactor has been finally shut down. The Japan Atomic Energy Agency is reported to have filed an application with the national regulator, the Nuclear Regulation Authority, to approve a decommissioning plan for the reactor. The...
2016 civilian plutonium reports submitted to IAEAtag:fissilematerials.org,2017:/blog//13.32482017-10-21T10:36:53Z2021-08-31T14:50:12ZAdmin
This post contains a summary of INFCIRC/549 reports by the countries that submit annual civilian plutonium declarations that reflect the status of civilian plutonium stocks as of 31 December 2016. Japan (INFCIRC/549/Add.1-20) reported having 9.9 tons of plutonium in the...
Rokkasho plant is facing another delaytag:fissilematerials.org,2017:/blog//13.32452017-10-04T09:23:35Z2021-08-31T14:50:12ZAdmin
According to Japan Nuclear Fuel Ltd, the Rokkasho reprocessing plant is unlikely to begin operations in September 2018, as it was previously planned. The September 2018 date for the start of operations was set in 2015. That was the 22nd...
Status of plutonium management in Japan in 2016 tag:fissilematerials.org,2017:/blog//13.32312017-08-02T10:14:05Z2021-08-31T14:50:11ZAdmin
The government of Japan released The Status Report of Plutonium Management in Japan - 2016, which details its plutonium holdings. According to the report, As of the end of 2016, the total amount of separated plutonium both managed within and...
High Level FMCT Expert Preparatory Group begins its worktag:fissilematerials.org,2017:/blog//13.32142017-03-03T10:25:47Z2021-08-31T14:50:11ZAdmin
The first session of the High Level Fissile Material Cut-Off Treaty (FMCT) Expert Preparatory Group took place in New York on March 2-3, 2017. The Group was established by the UN Secretary General at the request of the UN General...
Japan decides to decommission the Monju reactortag:fissilematerials.org,2016:/blog//13.32062016-12-21T13:46:47Z2021-08-31T14:50:10ZAdmin
The Japanese government formally decided to scrap the Monju prototype reactor. Spent fuel from the reactor will be removed by 2022 and the dismantlement is expected to be completed by 2047. The dismantlement is estimated to cost about ¥375 billion...
At least eight years needed to restart Monju reactortag:fissilematerials.org,2016:/blog//13.32012016-11-30T10:52:32Z2021-08-31T14:50:10ZAdmin
The government of Japan estimates that it would take at least eight years to restart the Monju fast neutron reactor, should the decision is made to do so. According to this estimate, the cost of operating the reactor until the...
2015 civilian plutonium reports submitted to IAEAtag:fissilematerials.org,2016:/blog//13.31812016-09-23T22:15:13Z2021-08-31T14:50:09ZAdmin
This post contains a summary of INFCIRC/549 reports by the countries that submit annual civilian plutonium declarations that reflect the status of civilian plutonium stocks as of 31 December 2015. Japan (INFCIRC/549/Add.1-19) reported having 10.7 tons of plutonium in the...
Future of Japan's Monju plutonium breeder reactor under reviewtag:fissilematerials.org,2016:/blog//13.31752016-09-01T22:20:33Z2021-08-31T14:50:09ZAdmin
Masafumi Takubo and Frank von Hippel On 29 August 2016, Mainichi Shimbun reported on an ongoing review by Japan's Cabinet Secretariat of options for the future of Monju. According to Mainichi, the Secretariat estimates that it would cost ¥600 billion...
Japan releases 2015 report on plutonium managementtag:fissilematerials.org,2016:/blog//13.31662016-07-27T16:44:00Z2016-08-11T17:32:20ZAdmin
Japan released its 2015 report on the status plutonium management. According to the document, as of 31 December 2015, Japan had 47.9 tons of Pu, of which 10.8 tons were in country and 37.1 tons stored overseas - 20.9 tons...
United States to provide a small amount of HEU to Japantag:fissilematerials.org,2016:/new/blog//13.31072016-06-10T08:15:49Z2021-08-31T08:18:02ZAdmin
In an application submitted to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, U.S. Department of Energy requested a license to export 0.6 kg of 99% HEU (XSNM3772). According to the application, "the materials are Certified Reference Materials for use as calibration and quality...
Japan's new law on funding plutonium reprocessingtag:fissilematerials.org,2016:/new/blog//13.31012016-05-26T08:38:45Z2016-07-29T11:46:16ZAdmin
Tatsujiro Suzuki and Masa Takubo On 11 May 2016, Japan's parliament passed a "Law Regarding Implementation of Reprocessing, etc. of Spent Fuel from Nuclear Power Generation" (our translation). The new law is to go into effect within six months. Its...
Dealing with Russia's concerns about the isotopics of disposed plutoniumtag:fissilematerials.org,2016:/new/blog//13.30982016-04-15T14:46:39Z2021-08-31T14:50:08ZAdmin
Edwin Lyman and Frank von Hippel Senators Lindsey Graham and Tim Scott of South Carolina have interpreted remarks by Russian president Putin on the 2000 U.S.-Russian Plutonium Management and Disposition Agreement (PMDA) as requiring that the United States continue with...
Plutonium from Japan is shipped to the United Statestag:fissilematerials.org,2016:/new/blog//13.30902016-03-22T09:36:53Z2021-08-31T14:50:07ZAdmin
A British vessel Pacific Egret, has left Japan on 22 March 2016 carrying 331 kg of plutonium from the Fast Critical Assembly (FCA) in JAERI Tokai Research Establishment. The material is being transferred to the Savannah River Site in the...
United States brings plutonium from Germany, Switzerland, and Japantag:fissilematerials.org,2016:/new/blog//13.30842016-02-22T10:41:58Z2021-08-31T14:50:07ZAdmin
According to information obtained by Savannah River Site Watch, the United States is in the process of repatriating U.S.-origin plutonium from Germany, Switzerland, and Japan. On February 14, 2016, Oceanic Pintail, a U.K.-flagged ship dedicated to transport of nuclear materials,...
IPFM Report "Alternatives to MOX" in Chinesetag:fissilematerials.org,2015:/new/blog//13.30772015-12-22T00:28:55Z2021-08-31T14:50:06ZAdmin
The International Panel on Fissile Materials research report, Alternatives to MOX: Direct-disposal Options for Stockpiles of Separated Plutonium, by Frank von Hippel and Gordon MacKerron is now available in Chinese. The report was originally release in April 2015. The link...
IPFM Report "Plutonium Separation in Nuclear Power Programs" in Chinesetag:fissilematerials.org,2015:/new/blog//13.30762015-12-22T00:19:39Z2021-08-31T14:50:06ZAdmin
The overview chapter of the International Panel on Fissile Materials's research report Plutonium Separation in Nuclear Power Programs: Status, Problems, and Prospects of Civilian Reprocessing Around the World, released in June 2015, is now available in Chinese. The link to...
Another delay for the Rokkasho reprocessing planttag:fissilematerials.org,2015:/new/blog//13.30722015-11-17T08:18:31Z2021-08-31T14:50:06ZAdmin
The launch of the reprocessing plant in Rokkasho has been delayed again. The operator of the plant, Japan Nuclear Fuel Ltd. (JNFL) announced that the launch was postponed until the first half of FY 2018 (i.e. April-September 2018). JNFL cited...
Sellafield's ageing THORP plant flunks major foreign fuel reprocessing targettag:fissilematerials.org,2015:/new/blog//13.30712015-11-06T22:11:04Z2021-09-04T14:01:21ZAdmin
Martin Forwood Stumbling along at half speed to its scheduled end-date of 2018, Sellafield's 'flagship' Thermal Oxide Reprocessing Plant (THORP) continues to notch up missed targets - this time the completion of all overseas reprocessing contracts by the end of...
Monju operator unfit for purposetag:fissilematerials.org,2015:/new/blog//13.30702015-11-04T22:00:43Z2022-03-13T16:24:23ZAdmin
Shaun Burnie with Mycle Schneider Japan's Nuclear Regulatory Authority on 4th November 2015 decided that a new entity would be required to manage the MOX fueled Monju Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (FBR) at Tsuruga in Fukui prefecture. The new body...
Chinese scholars express concern about Japan's fissile materialstag:fissilematerials.org,2015:/new/blog//13.30692015-10-29T22:00:16Z2021-08-31T14:50:05ZAdmin
Two Chinese academic institutions, China Arms Control and Disarmament Association and China Institute of Nuclear Information and Economics released a report, "Study on Japan's Nuclear Materials" (local copy), that expresses concern about the amount of fissile materials in Japan. The...
2014 civilian plutonium (and HEU) reports submitted to IAEAtag:fissilematerials.org,2015:/new/blog//13.30682015-10-12T09:21:23Z2021-08-31T14:50:05ZAdmin
As of October 8, 2015, the IAEA had published as INFCIRC/549 documents reports by eight out of nine countries that submit annual civilian plutonium declarations. The new declarations reflect the status of civilian plutonium stock as of 31 December 2014....
Alternatives to MOX: a new report by the International Panel on Fissile Materialstag:fissilematerials.org,2015:/new/blog//13.30362015-04-13T11:45:18Z2021-08-31T14:50:03ZAdmin
The International Panel on Fissile Materials has released a new research report, Alternatives to MOX: Direct-disposal Options for Stockpiles of Separated Plutonium, by Frank von Hippel and Gordon MacKerron (pdf file). The report reviews programs in France, Japan, the United...
No research reactor fuel was shipped to the United States since 2012tag:fissilematerials.org,2015:/new/blog//13.30232015-01-06T21:38:07Z2021-08-31T14:50:02ZAdmin
Tom Clements, the director of the Savannah River Site Watch, obtained an updated list of shipments of research reactor fuel to the United States that were carried out by the GTRI program and its predecessors. The list is current as...
Launch of the Rokkasho reprocessing plant is delayed againtag:fissilematerials.org,2014:/new/blog//13.30162014-10-31T14:37:01Z2021-08-31T14:50:01ZAdmin
Japan Nuclear Fuel Ltd. announced that it is delaying the launch of the Rokkasho reprocessing plant until at least March 2016. The delay, first reported in September 2014, is due to the complications in getting safety approval from Japan's Nuclear...
Japan submitted its 2013 plutonium report to IAEAtag:fissilematerials.org,2014:/new/blog//13.30132014-10-10T13:45:49Z2021-08-31T14:50:01ZAdmin
In its official submission to IAEA, INFCIRC/549/Add.1/17, Japan reported its plutonium holdings as of December 31, 2013. The INFCIRC/549 submission is based on the more detailed internal annual plutonium management report, made public in September 2014. According to the INFCIRC/549...
Tokai-mura reprocessing plant head-end to be shut downtag:fissilematerials.org,2014:/new/blog//13.30122014-10-08T20:16:42Z2021-08-31T14:50:00ZAdmin
Shaun Burnie with Mycle Schneider In what appears at first sight to be a historic decision, the Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) announced 29 September 2014 that it will permanently shut down the head-end of the Tokai-mura reprocessing plant in...
Launch of Rokkasho reprocessing plant is likely to be delayedtag:fissilematerials.org,2014:/new/blog//13.30042014-09-18T11:40:30Z2021-08-31T14:50:00ZAdmin
According to a story in Japan News, Japan Nuclear Fuel Ltd. (JNFL) is going to delay the start of the Rokkasho reprocessing plant until the spring of 2016. When the construction of the plant started in 1993, it was expected...
Japan's 2013 plutonium reporttag:fissilematerials.org,2014:/new/blog//13.30032014-09-16T10:38:50Z2021-08-31T14:50:00ZAdmin
On September 16, 2014 Japan's Atomic Energy Commission released its annual report "The Current Situation of Plutonium Management in Japan" (in Japanese). According to the report, at the end of 2013 Japan owned 47,145 kg of plutonium, of which 10,833...
1,000 tonnes of THORP contracts abandoned since 1994tag:fissilematerials.org,2014:/new/blog//13.29952014-08-06T15:46:31Z2021-09-04T14:02:26ZAdmin
by Martin Forwood, with Mycle Schneider Responding to requests for information from local group CORE (Cumbrians Opposed to a Radioactive Environment), Sellafield Ltd has confirmed that a total of 4,373 tonnes of overseas fuel is expected to have been reprocessed...
MOX fuel in Japan: Summary of shipments, use, and storagetag:fissilematerials.org,2014:/new/blog//13.29842014-06-10T11:24:03Z2022-03-13T16:24:23ZAdmin
Analysis of the public records of the Japan Atomic Energy Commission and information submitted to IAEA shows that in 1999-2013, Japan has received a cumulative 4,390 kg of plutonium in MOX fuel (this does not include a 255 kg shipment...
An error in Japan's civilian plutonium declarationstag:fissilematerials.org,2014:/new/blog//13.29862014-06-07T20:29:42Z2021-08-31T14:49:59ZAdmin
Japan misreported some of its plutonium in two recent INFCIRC/549 declarations that described the status of its civilian plutonium stock as of 31 December 2011 and 31 December 2012. The declarations, that draw on the annual Japan Atomic Energy Commission...
Japanese-French fast breeder cooperationtag:fissilematerials.org,2014:/new/blog//13.29792014-05-06T22:44:34Z2022-03-13T16:24:22ZAdmin
Shaun Burnie with Mycle Schneider Further cooperation between France and Japan on fast breeder reactor design and development has been announced at a May 5th 2014 summit meeting between Prime Minister Abe and President Hollande. The agreement between Japan's Education,...
United States and Japan to remove plutonium and HEU from Fast Critical Assemblytag:fissilematerials.org,2014:/new/blog//13.29722014-03-24T11:21:41Z2021-08-31T14:49:58ZAdmin
The United States and Japan announced today that they will remove all plutonium and HEU from the Fast Critical Assembly (FCA) in JAERI Tokai Research Establishment. The agreement to remove the plutonium was first made public in January 2014. The...
China calls on Japan to return weapons grade plutonium to the United Statestag:fissilematerials.org,2014:/new/blog//13.29672014-02-18T17:36:18Z2021-08-31T14:49:58ZAdmin
By Shaun Burnie with Mycle Schneider China has urged Japan to return over 300 kilograms of weapons grade plutonium to the Unites States and to explain how it intends to resolve its surplus plutonium problem. At a regular press briefing...
Japan to return plutonium used in critical assembly to the United Statestag:fissilematerials.org,2014:/new/blog//13.29622014-01-27T11:13:38Z2016-07-29T11:46:04ZAdmin
The United States and Japan are reported to have reached an agreement to return plutonium that is used in the Fast Critical Assembly (FCA) in JAERI Tokai Research Establishment, Tokai-mura, Ibaraki Prefecture. The formal agreement is expected to be concluded...
Japanese breeder Monju control room computer hackedtag:fissilematerials.org,2014:/new/blog//13.29582014-01-07T09:11:33Z2021-08-31T14:49:57ZAdmin
Shaun Burnie with Mycle Schneider It was reported on 6 January 2013 that computer hackers had accessed and may have stolen private data held on a computer system at the idle Monju Fast Breeder Reactor, in Tsuruga, Japan. Monju is...
Shipments of research reactor fuel to the United Statestag:fissilematerials.org,2013:/new/blog//13.29442013-10-21T15:10:52Z2021-08-31T14:49:57ZAdmin
Tom Clements of the Friends of the Earth obtained an updated list of shipments of research reactor fuel to the United States that were carried out by the GTRI program and its predecessors. The list is current as of March...
Japan reports its 2012 plutonium stock to IAEAtag:fissilematerials.org,2013:/new/blog//13.29412013-10-07T14:16:35Z2021-08-31T14:49:56ZAdmin
In its official submission to IAEA, INFCIRC/549/Add.1/16, Japan reported its plutonium holdings as of December 31, 2012. According to the document, at the end of 2012 Japan had 4.4 tonnes of separated unirradiated plutonium at the reprocessing facilities, 2.9 tonnes...
Japan's 2012 plutonium management reporttag:fissilematerials.org,2013:/new/blog//13.29372013-09-17T12:28:04Z2021-08-31T14:49:56ZAdmin
Japan's Atomic Energy Commission released its annual report "The Current Situation of Plutonium Management in Japan" that describes the status of its civilian plutonium stock as of the end of 2012. According to the document, as of 31 December 2012,...
Roadmap for ending plutonium separation in Japantag:fissilematerials.org,2013:/new/blog//13.29322013-08-29T08:50:16Z2021-08-31T14:49:56ZAdmin
In a story titled "Experts urge Japan to break away from 'failed' nuclear reprocessing program" the Asahi Shimbun described a report "Ending plutonium separation: An alternative approach to managing Japan's spent nuclear fuel" (pdf) by Masafumi Takubo and Frank von...
Japan's nuclear regulator to suspend Monju reactortag:fissilematerials.org,2013:/new/blog//13.29172013-05-13T18:47:09Z2022-03-13T16:24:22ZAdmin
Japan's Nuclear Regulation Authority is expected to indefinitely suspend operations of the Monju fast breeder reactor due to concerns about safety and violations of inspection procedures. The reactor will not be allowed to restart unless its operator, Japan Atomic Energy...
Rokkasho reprocessing plant unlikely to start before 2014tag:fissilematerials.org,2013:/new/blog//13.29142013-04-25T18:45:54Z2021-08-31T14:49:55ZAdmin
Japan's Nuclear Regulation Authority put on hold the plan to start operations of the reprocessing plant in Rokkasho. According to an editorial published in Asahi Shimbun, NRA has decided not to carry pre-operation tests of the plant until it approves...
Civilian plutonium swap increased the amount of UK owned plutoniumtag:fissilematerials.org,2013:/new/blog//13.29162013-04-23T08:36:18Z2021-08-31T14:49:55ZAdmin
The UK Department of Energy and Climate Change announced a series of plutonium title swaps that will increase the amount of UK owned separated plutonium. However, these being title swaps, no physical transfer of material will take place. According to...
Japan's 2011 civilian plutonium declarationtag:fissilematerials.org,2012:/new/blog//13.28932012-10-03T19:42:32Z2021-08-31T14:49:54ZAdmin
Japan submitted to IAEA its annual declaration of holdings of civilian plutonium as of December 31, 2011 - INFCIRC/549/Add.1/15. According to the document, at the end of 2011 Japan had 4.4 tonnes of separated unirradiated plutonium at the reprocessing facilities,...
Another malfunction at the Rokkasho reprocessing planttag:fissilematerials.org,2012:/new/blog//13.28402012-01-31T21:14:16Z2022-03-13T16:24:21ZAdmin
Japan Nuclear Fuel Ltd (JNFL) announced that it halted the preparatory work for a test run of the spent fuel reprocessing plant in Rokkasho. The problem was caused by a malfunction of a furnace that is involved in the radioactive...
Japan starts operating new centrifugestag:fissilematerials.org,2012:/new/blog//13.28302012-01-03T14:01:34Z2022-03-13T16:24:21ZAdmin
Japan Nuclear Fuels Ltd (JNFL) began operating new centrifuges at the Rokkasho uranium enrichment plant on December 28, 2011, reports The Mainichi Daily News. According to the report, the new centrifuges are four to five times more capable than their...
Japanese mislead about spent fuel reprocessing coststag:fissilematerials.org,2012:/new/blog//13.28292012-01-02T21:24:23Z2016-07-29T11:45:54ZAdmin
The decision-making process on nuclear issues is not always easy to understand in any country. A piece released today by Japanese Mainichi Daily News sheds some light on the confusion around the decision to launch the multi-trillion yen plutonium separation...
Mongolia ends discussions of spent fuel storagetag:fissilematerials.org,2011:/new/blog//13.28232011-10-17T12:48:12Z2022-03-13T16:24:20ZAdmin
The Mongolian government informed Japan and the United States that it decided to abandon the plan to bring spent nuclear fuel to the country. According a report in The Mainichi Daily News, the decision was made in late September 2011,...
Japan's civilian plutonium holdings in 2010tag:fissilematerials.org,2011:/new/blog//13.28342011-10-12T17:09:42Z2022-03-13T16:24:20ZAdmin
Japan submitted to IAEA its annual declaration of holdings of civilian plutonium as of December 31, 2010 - INFCIRC/549/Add.1/14. According to the document, at the end of 2010 Japan had 4,400 kg of separated unirradiated plutonium at the reprocessing facilities,...
International Panel on Fissile Materials releases report on management of spent fuel from nuclear power reactorstag:fissilematerials.org,2011:/new/blog//13.28182011-09-26T10:03:01Z2021-08-31T14:49:51ZAdmin
The International Panel on Fissile Materials has released a new report, Managing Spent Fuel from Nuclear Power Reactors: Experience and Lessons from Around the World (pdf copy). The report provides an overview of the policy and technical challenges faced internationally...
GAO report on U.S. ability to account for its nuclear material overseastag:fissilematerials.org,2011:/new/blog//13.28152011-09-08T22:56:58Z2016-07-29T11:45:53ZAdmin
The U.S. Government Accountability Office released a report "U.S. Agencies Have Limited Ability to Account for, Monitor, and Evaluate the Security of U.S. Nuclear Material Overseas" (GAO-11-920 September 8, 2011), which evaluates the ability of U.S. agencies to track U.S.-obligated...
High-level waste shipments from Sellafield to Japan continuetag:fissilematerials.org,2011:/new/blog//13.28142011-08-02T17:22:28Z2022-03-13T16:24:20ZAdmin
According to a report by World Nuclear News, a shipment of high-level waste left Sellafield on August 2, 2011 to Barrow-in-Furness, where it is to be loaded aboard the Pacific Grebe, one of the ships built to transport nuclear waste....
Details of the plan to store spent fuel in Mongoliatag:fissilematerials.org,2011:/new/blog//13.27972011-07-21T00:46:26Z2022-03-13T16:24:19ZAdmin
The Japanese media obtained a copy of the draft agreement between the United States, Japan, and Mongolia that contain some details of a plan to establish a spent fuel storage site in Mongolia. In May 2011, following first reports about...
Japan considers shutting down Monju fast-breeder reactortag:fissilematerials.org,2011:/new/blog//13.28012011-07-16T00:05:58Z2024-03-27T14:05:40ZAdmin
The Japanese government is considering closing down the Monju prototype fast breeder reactor. The reactor, which was restarted in May 2010 after a 14-year shutdown caused by a major sodium leak and a fire, suffered another accident shortly after restart, in...
Managing nuclear spent fuel: Policy lessons from a 10-country studytag:fissilematerials.org,2011:/new/blog//13.28072011-06-28T21:55:55Z2021-08-31T14:49:51ZAdmin
BULLETIN OF THE ATOMIC SCIENTISTS | 27 JUNE 2011 BY HAROLD FEIVESON, ZIA MIAN, M. V. RAMANA, AND FRANK VON HIPPEL The International Panel on Fissile Materials is in the process of finalizing an analysis of the policy and technical...
Conflicting reports about spent fuel disposal in Mongoliatag:fissilematerials.org,2011:/new/blog//13.27902011-05-10T21:08:25Z2022-03-13T16:24:19ZAdmin
According to a report in Mainichi Daily News, Mongolia, Japan, and the United States discussed a possibility of constructing a spent fuel disposal facility in Mongolia. The report suggested that the facility would be able to accept spent fuel of...
Fire in the spent fuel pool of Unit 4 at Fukushima-Itag:fissilematerials.org,2011:/new/blog//13.27842011-03-15T09:11:47Z2016-07-29T11:45:51ZAdmin
In the early morning of Tuesday 15 March 2011, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) released a statement saying that the Japanese authorities had informed the Agency that "the spent fuel storage pond at the Unit 4 of the Fukushima...
Japan shuts down last centrifuge cascade in Rokkashotag:fissilematerials.org,2011:/new/blog//13.27772011-02-22T12:38:57Z2016-07-29T11:45:50ZAdmin
Japan Nuclear Fuels Ltd. (JNFL) shut down its last centrifuge cascade at the Rokkasho Uranium Enrichment plant on December 15, 2010, according to a report by Tokyo-based Citizen`s Nuclear Information Center (CNIC). The plant began operations in 1992 and was expected...
Monju reactor is unlikely to start until 2014tag:fissilematerials.org,2010:/new/blog//13.27612010-12-17T08:15:31Z2024-03-27T14:05:40ZAdmin
Japan's Monju fast neutron reactor is unlikely to resume operations until 2014, according to reports. The reactor was restarted in May 2010 after a 14-year shutdown, but was shut down again in August 2010, after an accident during a refueling operation.For a background of...
Japanese utilities increase their stake in Georges Besse II enrichment planttag:fissilematerials.org,2010:/new/blog//13.27402010-11-04T08:23:36Z2016-07-29T11:45:48ZAdmin
Two Japanese utilities - Tohoku Electric Power Co. and Kyushu Electric Power Co. - acquired 1% stake each in the company that operates Areva's Georges Besse II enrichment plant. According to the Areva press-release, the two utilities joined the Kansai...
Japan's civilian plutonium stock as of December 2009tag:fissilematerials.org,2010:/new/blog//13.27282010-10-06T08:06:59Z2022-03-13T16:24:16ZAdmin
Japan submitted to IAEA its annual declaration of holdings of civilian plutonium as of December 31, 2009 - INFCIRC/549/Add.1/13. According to the document, at the end of 2009 Japan had 4,400 kg of separated unirradiated plutonium at the reprocessing facilities,...
Rokkasho plant extracted no plutonium in 2009tag:fissilematerials.org,2010:/new/blog//13.27052010-09-09T12:45:46Z2022-03-13T16:24:16ZAdmin
The Japanese government reported that at the end of 2009 its total stock of plutonium was 31.0 tonnes. Of this material, 6.9 tonnes are reported to be in Japan and 24.1 tonnes - abroad (in France and U.K.). The report...
Accident at the Monju fast breeder reactortag:fissilematerials.org,2010:/new/blog//13.26902010-09-03T16:44:45Z2024-03-27T14:05:40ZAdmin
The Japanese Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) disclosed details of an accident that happened on August 26, 2010 at the Monju fast breeder reactor (here is the original JAEA letter). As described in the press, the accident involved a 3-tonne "fuel-replacement...
Another delay for Rokkasho reprocessing planttag:fissilematerials.org,2010:/new/blog//13.26892010-09-01T19:23:38Z2016-07-29T11:45:44ZAdmin
According to a Kyodo News report, start of the reprocessing plant in Rokkasho will be delayed by at least two years by the plant operator, Japan Nuclear Fuel Ltd. AtomInfo.ru estimates that this is the 18th delay for Rokkasho. The plan...
Third reactor in Japan to use MOX fueltag:fissilematerials.org,2010:/new/blog//13.26932010-08-23T12:53:32Z2022-03-13T16:24:15ZAdmin
The Tokyo Electric Power Co. began loading MOX fuel into Unit 3 reactor of its Fukushima-Daiichi power plant. The reactor will be the third unit in Japan to use MOX fuel. The reactor is expected to be back online on...
Japanese fast breeder reactor Monju restarted after 14-year shutdowntag:fissilematerials.org,2010:/new/blog//13.26682010-05-09T11:16:24Z2024-03-27T14:05:40ZAdmin
On 6 May 2010 the Japanese fast breeder reactor Monju located in Tsuruga restarted for the first time after it was shutdown on 8 December 1995, following a major sodium leak and fire. The extent of the accident had been...
Japanese daily Asahi slams breeder reactorstag:fissilematerials.org,2010:/new/blog//13.26732010-04-28T09:13:38Z2024-03-27T14:05:40ZAdmin
The respected Japanese daily newspaper Asahi Shimbun has attacked the government's plutonium policy in a damning editorial dated 27 April and published on 28 April 2010. Announcing the imminent restart of the 246 MW(net) fast breeder reactor Monju, the paper...
Update on shipments of research reactor fuel to the U.S.tag:fissilematerials.org,2010:/new/blog//13.26722010-04-26T16:56:45Z2022-03-13T16:24:14ZAdmin
Friends of the Earth-US obtained an updated DoE list of shipments of research reactor fresh and spent fuel to the United States. This version of the list is current as of March 30, 2010 and includes the shipments from Chile...
UK begins return of high-level waste to foreign customers amid uncertainty about its own plutoniumtag:fissilematerials.org,2010:/new/blog//13.26662010-04-16T19:34:09Z2022-03-13T16:24:14ZAdmin
Guest contribution by David Lowry, Independent Consultant, London, UK In January-March 2010 the United Kingdom completed the first shipment of foreign high activity radioactive waste (HLW) that was produced by the spent nuclear fuel reprocessing program. The waste was delivered...
AREVA signs MOX fuel fabrication contract with Japanese utilitytag:fissilematerials.org,2010:/new/blog//13.26552010-03-29T19:21:50Z2022-03-13T16:24:13ZAdmin
On 29 March the French nuclear company AREVA announced the signature of a new MOX fuel fabrication contract. The deal, signed between the AREVA subsidiary MELOX SA and Mitsubishi Nuclear Fuel (MNF), "in charge of designing the fuel for the...
Japan outlines plans for use of plutonium in its 2010 research programtag:fissilematerials.org,2010:/new/blog//13.27232010-03-15T12:12:29Z2016-07-29T11:45:46ZAdmin
The Japan Atomic Energy Agency announced its plan to use plutonium in its research and development program in JFY2010 (1 April 2010 to 31 March 2011).The agency expects to have 3.1 tonnes of fissile Pu at the end of JFY2009...
Status of Japan's MOX fuel programtag:fissilematerials.org,2010:/new/blog//13.26452010-03-02T07:51:12Z2016-07-29T11:45:40ZAdmin
Guest contribution by Aileen Mioko Smith Japan's Shikoku Electric utility began commercial operation with MOX fuel on March 2nd. This makes its Ikata-3 PWR the second nuclear reactor in Japan to begin using MOX fuel as part of its normal...
History and status of fast breeder reactor programs worldwidetag:fissilematerials.org,2010:/new/blog//13.26482010-02-17T18:30:30Z2024-03-27T14:05:40ZAdmin
The International Panel on Fissile Materials released a new research report, Fast Breeder Reactor Programs: History and Status (a pdf copy of the report is here). The report argues that the track record of all fast breeder reactor programs demonstrates that sodium-cooled reactors cannot...
Civilian plutonium stocks in France 1994-2008tag:fissilematerials.org,2010:/new/blog//13.26112010-02-06T09:43:38Z2016-07-29T11:45:37ZAdmin
Unirradiated plutonium stocks in France, in the form of separated plutonium or in fresh plutonium fuel (MOX) products have increased steadily since the late 1980s and reached a total of 83.8 metric tonnes by the end of 2008. The amount...
Shipments of spent fuel of research reactors to the U.S.tag:fissilematerials.org,2010:/new/blog//13.26152010-01-26T20:41:13Z2016-07-29T11:45:38ZAdmin
Frank Munger at Atomic City Underground posted a document obtained by the Friends of the Earth, which provides a summary of shipments of spent fuel of research reactors to the United States since 1996. This document, titled "Global Threat Reduction...
Launch of Rokkasho plant delayedtag:fissilematerials.org,2009:/new/blog//13.25452009-02-12T02:29:39Z2016-07-29T11:45:33ZAdmin
Completion of Japan's Rokkasho Reprocessing Plant is delayed until at least August 2009. The plant originally was supposed to begin operations in mid-2007....
MOX fuel shipment to Japan preparedtag:fissilematerials.org,2009:/new/blog//13.25532009-01-29T23:19:40Z2016-07-29T11:45:33ZAdmin
European companies are preparing a shipment of MOX fuel to Japan, according to a World Nuclear News report: Areva of France manufactured the MOX. The UK's Pacific Nuclear Transport Limited (PNTL), a subsidiary of International Nuclear Services which is itself...
Japan is cautious about Angarsktag:fissilematerials.org,2008:/new/blog//13.24942008-04-16T21:03:19Z2016-07-29T11:45:30ZAdmin
Russian press quotes a Japanese official as saying that Japan would be interested in the services of the Angarsk International Uranium Enrichment Center but needs more information about the arrangement. The statement was made in the context of continuing negotiations...