 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Japan, Kazakhstan agree on energy cooperation
Tokyo (AFP) June 20, 2008 Japan and Kazakhstan on Friday agreed to increase energy cooperation between the world's second largest economy and the resource-rich central Asian nation. Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda and visiting Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev inked a joint statement agreeing on further cooperation including investment by Japanese companies in Kazakh energy projects. "The two governments expect Japanese companies to make proactive investment in the exploration and development of natural resources, including oil, uranium, rare metals and nonferrous metals, in Kazakhstan," the statement said. Japan, which has virtually no natural energy resources of its own, relies heavily on increasingly expensive Middle East crude oil to power its economy, and has been seeking to diversify its sources of energy. Japan is increasingly focusing on nuclear power despite public unease in the only country to have been attacked by atomic bombs. "The two governments agree that cooperation in the field of nuclear power for peaceful use will be significant for strengthening a bilateral strategic and beneficial partnership," the two leaders said in the statement. They added that such cooperation "will benefit stable supply of uranium for Japan's nuclear industry and contribute to helping Kazakhstan's strategic policy towards advanced industrialisation." Ahead of their meeting, Japan's Toshiba Corp. agreed to study ways to boost cooperation in nuclear energy with Kazakhstan's state-run atomic company. Under the accord, the Japanese high-tech giant and Kazatomprom will consider extending their collaboration to rare metals such as beryllium and tantalum for nuclear power plants, said Toshiba spokeswoman Hiroko Mochida. The two will also consider jointly producing nuclear power plant components and continue discussions on further cooperation. The latest accord was in line with the "strategic and partnership" agreement signed by the two firms in April last year, which cleared the way for Toshiba to participate in a Kazatomprom uranium mine development project. Toshiba last year sold 10 percent of US nuclear power plant maker Westinghouse to Kazatomprom for 540 million dollars as part of a wider collaboration between the two firms. Community Email This Article Comment On This Article Share This Article With Planet Earth
Related Links Civil Nuclear Energy Science, Technology and News Powering The World in the 21st Century at Energy-Daily.com
France OKs work to resume on nuclear reactor
Paris (AFP) June 19, 2008France's nuclear safety authority ASN flashed a green light Thursday for construction to resume at the site of the third-generation European Pressurised Water Reactor in Flamanville. |
|
|
| The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2007 - SpaceDaily.AFP and UPI Wire Stories are copyright Agence France-Presse and United Press International. ESA Portal Reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement,agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by SpaceDaily on any Web page published or hosted by SpaceDaily. Privacy Statement |
del.icio.us
Digg
Reddit
YahooMyWeb
Google
Facebook