An international Washington-proposed program to provide nuclear fuel to developing nations may impinge on the current Japan-U.S. pact for atomic energy cooperation.
Japanese government officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, noted that while Japan has agreed to take part in the Bush administration's new initiative, it may infringe the 1988 U.S.-Japanese agreement for cooperation on peaceful uses of atomic energy, as the proposed agreement specially bans the transfer of recycling technology for neutralizing nuclear waste.
The program envisages developing new and more efficient ways to generate nuclear fuel for developing nations.
Kyodo news agency reported on May 14 that U.S. Energy Department Assistant Secretary for Nuclear Energy Dennis Spurgeon told Kyodo News in Washington on Friday that the outstanding issues need to be resolved, stating that the Bush administration is considering revising the 1988 agreement. Spurgeon said that the 1988 agreement was concluded during a period when the U.S. government was firmly against the promotion of nuclear fuel recycling.
Earlier, Tokyo offered to cooperate with Washington's Global Nuclear Energy Partnership program, intended to safely provide civilian nuclear fuel to developing nations and develop advanced technologies for recycling and protecting nuclear fuel and waste from possible terrorist attack.
Japanese assistance was offered by Science Minister Kenji Kosaka during a meeting with U.S. Energy Secretary Samuel Bodman during a meeting in Washington Friday.
Japan's experience is highly valued, as Japan is the world's third-largest generator of nuclear electricity, behind the United States and France, currently operating 55 of the world's 443 nuclear reactors.
Japan is also a world leader in reprocessing spent nuclear fuel, which can recover up to 95 percent of a depleted fuel rod's remaining uranium and plutonium for blending into new fuel rods.
Washington's proposal includes conducting joint U.S.-Japanese fuel development using Japan's "Joyo" and "Monju"' experimental and prototype fast-breeder nuclear reactors, in addition to designing U.S. fuel cycle facilities and establishing safeguards for fuel cycle facilities based on Japanese experiences.
Source: United Press International
