1. Peaceful use of plutonium
(1) Assurance of the peaceful use of plutonium
Japan promotes research, development and utilization of nuclear energy for exclusively peaceful purposes. It joined the Nuclear Non Proliferation Treaty (NPT), concluded a safeguards agreement and Additional Protocol with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and accepts the in-country activities associated with IAEA safeguards. At the same time, Japan operates its own internal safeguards system to confirm that nuclear activities in Japan are conducted for exclusively peaceful purposes.
Specifically, the government requires nuclear power companies to submit reports regarding changes in nuclear fuel material inventories, material balance accounts, etc. in conformity with measurement control provisions approved by the government. In addition, inventory changes and seals are confirmed through camera surveillance, the affixing of seals, periodic inspections, inspections without notice, etc. In particular, government inspectors carry out inspections and are permanently stationed at the Rokkasho reprocessing plant. Also, information regarding this measurement control and the results of inspections are reported to the IAEA and the IAEA carries out its own inspections.
It is internationally recognized that by establishing such a system and applying it strictly it can be confirmed that plutonium brought into the country, or plutonium separated and recovered through reprocessing within the country is not diverted to other than peaceful purposes. Based on this thinking, it is internationally accepted that the system in place at the Rokkasho reprocessing plant is appropriate from the point of view of assuring the peaceful use of plutonium.
(2) Enhancing transparency of plutonium use
Japan's peaceful use of plutonium is strictly assured through an international safeguards system. From the 1990s, associated with more active civil use of plutonium such as plu-thermal in various countries, the quantity of plutonium moving between countries increased. In this context, given the nature of plutonium, Japan judged that it was desirable to enhance the transparency of the use of plutonium and commenced an investigation involving nine relevant countries (USA, Russia, UK, France, China, Japan, Germany, Belgium, Switzerland) into the issue of enhancing the transparency of the civil use of plutonium. As a result, in December 1997 "International Plutonium Guidelines", which included that each country would publish the management status of its civil plutonium, were adopted. Since then, each country has published its holdings of civil plutonium each year and reported them to the IAEA.
In 1997, with a view to using plutonium in light water reactors, Japanese electric power companies began to have MOX fuel fabricated overseas, where plutonium which had been recovered from spent fuel by European reprocessing companies was being stored. In addition, when Japan's first commercial scale reprocessing plant, the Rokkasho reprocessing plant, begins operations, each year a considerable quantity of plutonium will be recovered and used within Japan by civilian companies.
Since the time will come when civilian companies will recover and use plutonium within Japan, in order to further increase the understanding and confidence internationally and within Japan that Japan's use of plutonium is exclusively for peaceful purposes, under the principle that plutonium with no specific use will not be held, the Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) decided to strive to perfect the management and publication of information regarding holdings of plutonium. In August 2003 AEC promulgated the decision 'Basic Principles for the Utilization of Plutonium in Japan' ('Basic Principles'). This showed that Japan's concept is that in addition to publishing information on the status of plutonium management, in order to further enhance transparency, as a uniquely Japanese measure, companies must publish a plutonium utilization plan showing the purpose of use, before they can separate plutonium at the Rokkasho reprocessing plant. Also, the government's research agencies must follow the same approach for plutonium used for research and development as for plutonium used for commercial purposes.
Until now, considering the experience accumulated in Japan and overseas, detailed decisions about the end use of plutonium recovered at reprocessing plants and the time of use may come after the plutonium has been stored for quite a while. However, regarding the recovery within Japan by civilian companies of the sensitive substance plutonium, even if companies have not yet reached the stage of producing detailed utilization plans, since by each year clarifying the plutonium utilization plan, including the plan for the plutonium to be recovered the following year, the most recently published utilization plans will step by step become more and more detailed, AEC believes this to be appropriate from the point of view of maintaining a high level of transparency regarding utilization.
2. Plutonium utilization plans published by electric power companies
According to the plutonium utilization plans published by electric power companies, the plutonium that will be recovered during active tests at the Rokkasho reprocessing plant during fiscal years 2005 and 2006 will be fabricated into MOX fuel at the MOX fuel fabrication facility to be constructed at Rokkasho. It will either be used by the power companies in the plu-thermal plans for their nuclear power plants, or it will be transferred to the Japan Atomic Energy Agency for use in research and development into fast breeder reactors, or alternatively it will be transferred to J-Power for use in the plu-thermal plan for its Ohma Power Plant, for which a reactor installation license application has been submitted. In the case where it is used in plu-thermal plans, the time of use will be after completion of the MOX fuel fabrication plant, scheduled for 2012. Until then it will be stored at the Rokkasho reprocessing plant. Also, the time required to consume the MOX fuel fabricated from this plutonium in the plu-thermal plans of each company is between 0.2 and 0.6 years equivalent. J-Power plans to use plutonium received from other electric power companies in its Ohma power plant.
Each electric power company, when explaining the contents of its published plan to the AEC, also published the quantity of its plutonium held overseas and explained how it was making efforts toward implementing plu-thermal using this plutonium, including carrying out activities to obtain approval, or undertaking preparatory steps therefor. In the abovementioned 'Basic Principles', AEC stated that in the case where this plutonium is used in plu-thermal, at the stage of fabricating MOX fuel overseas, the places where the plutonium will be used etc. are to be specified. However, this time such an announcement has not been made. After such efforts and activities have been undertaken, utilization plans will be published at the fuel fabrication stage.
Based on the explanations given, AEC considers the purpose of use announced by each electric power company for plutonium to be recovered in fiscal years 2005 and 2006 to adequately show the current situation and to be appropriate from the point of view of enhancing the transparency of Japan's use of plutonium.
Further, in the Framework for Nuclear Energy Policy AEC stated that "it expects operating entities to promote the plu-thermal program systematically and firmly and to proceed with the development of a MOX fuel fabrication facility [within Japan], along with the progress of the work at the Rokkasho reprocessing plant", so in future AEC will continue to monitor progress of plu-thermal plans, and progress of the construction and operation of the Rokkasho reprocessing plant and of construction of the MOX fuel facility. We expect electric power companies, under appropriate risk management, in accordance with progress made, from the next fiscal year to make positive efforts to make their utilization plans more detailed. Further, where circumstances arise, as a result of the progress status of plu-thermal plans and the operational status of the Rokkasho reprocessing plant, which might affect utilization plans, we expect electric power companies to review the utilization plans announced this time, based on the 'Basic Principles'.
3. Plutonium Utilization Plan published by Japan Atomic Energy Agency
According to the plutonium utilization plan for research and development published by the Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA), the plutonium that will be recovered at the Tokai reprocessing plant in fiscal years 2005 and 2006 will in future be made into fuel for fast reactors at the fuel fabrication facility at the Tokai Research and Development Center and will be used in JAEA's Monju and Joyo reactors. Currently Monju is not operational, but JAEA is making preparations to restart the reactor, such as carrying out remodeling work, so we consider the purpose of use announced by JAEA to be appropriate. From the point of view of ensuring the transparency of use, as progress is made more details about the purpose of use should be shown and, where circumstances arise which might affect the utilization plan, we expect JAEA to review the utilization plan announced this time.
Also, in future it is predicted that it will not be possible to continue to operate both reactors using only the plutonium possessed by JAEA, so there will be cases where electric power companies transfer to JAEA plutonium that was recovered at the Rokkasho reprocessing plant. This explanation accords with the explanation given by the electric power companies.
Links to CNIC press releases and other related files
Fictional Plutonium Utilization Plan (11 January 2006): critique of Plutonium Utilization Plan issued by the Federation of Electric Power Companies (FEPCO) on 6 January
Japanese NGOs send petition to IAEA (5 January 2006): petition, press release and other information..
Nuclear Fuel Cycle front page
