The Japan Atomic Energy Agency has released details of plutonium unaccounted for in 2004. The details were released in response to a request by Diet Member Nobuto Hosaka.
They show that 1 kilogram of plutonium was unaccounted for out of a total of 259 kilograms recovered at the Tokai reprocessing facility in 2004. The International Atomic Energy Agency considers 8 kilograms to be a "Significant Quantity", though in fact a nuclear weapon can be produced with less than this.
Tokyo-based NGO, Citizens' Nuclear Information Center (CNIC), welcomed the release of the new figures, which include a detailed breakdown of plutonium inventory data released by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology on 6 September 2006.
CNIC Co-Director, Hideyuki Ban, said, "This increased transparency is a step in the right direction. But this in itself does not allay concerns about Japan's plutonium stockpile. We would expect a much larger amount of material unaccounted for when the Rokkasho reprocessing plant begins separating plutonium from spent fuel. Furthermore, the plutonium utilization plans announced by the electric power companies in January are completely untransparent."
Japan Nuclear Fuel Ltd. plans to commence active tests at the Rokkasho reprocessing plant very soon. It is expected that about 3.5 tons of plutonium will be separated during these tests. This is more than ten times the quantity separated at Tokai in 2004.
Mr. Ban added, "Given the large quantities of plutonium that will be separated at Rokkasho, we believe that each year, in its annual report on Japan's plutonium inventory, the government should provide a detailed breakdown of material unaccounted for, such as that provided in response to Diet Member Hosaka's request."
CNIC has made this proposal in a letter sent today to the Minister for Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology and the Chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission.
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Contacts:
Hideyuki Ban, CNIC Co-Director
Philip White, CNIC International Liaison Officer
