“Promotion of Nuclear Fuel Cycle Policy” October 21, 18:22, national policy announced at the first meeting in 10 years

Regarding the nuclear fuel cycle policy of the country that reuses nuclear fuel, a council was held for the first time in 10 years between the governor of Aomori Prefecture, where the main facilities are located, and the relevant ministers, and the national side reiterated the policy to proceed with the policy. It was.

The government is promoting a nuclear fuel cycle policy to reuse nuclear fuel that has been used up at nuclear power plants, and major facilities such as a reprocessing plant that extracts plutonium from spent nuclear fuel are concentrated in Aomori Prefecture.



The council was held for the first time in 10 years at the request of Governor Mimura of Aomori Prefecture, following the fact that the reprocessing plant passed the examination of the Nuclear Regulation Authority in July.



In this, Chief Cabinet Secretary Kato reiterated the policy of advancing the policy, noting that the establishment of the nuclear fuel cycle is important for Japan's nuclear energy policy.



In addition, Governor Mimura asked about the promise that the government would not make Aomori Prefecture a final disposal site over high-level radioactive waste that is temporarily stored, so-called "nuclear waste," while Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Kajiyama asked. He said he would comply with the promise and expressed his intention to hurry to select a final disposal site.



Regarding the nuclear fuel cycle policy, a nuclear fuel plant that uses plutonium extracted from a reprocessing plant to produce new fuel has virtually passed the examination by the Nuclear Regulation Authority this month.



However, the completion of all facilities has been significantly delayed, enormous costs have been incurred, and the use of plutonium has not progressed as originally planned, so policies are facing challenges.

Chief Cabinet Secretary "Continuing to Promote Nuclear Fuel Cycle Policy"

At a press conference on the morning of the 21st, Chief Cabinet Secretary Kato said, "Since there is progress that the reprocessing plant has obtained permission to examine the conformity with the new regulatory standards of the Nuclear Regulation Authority, it is based on the energy basic plan decided earlier by the Cabinet. I would like to continue to promote the nuclear fuel cycle policy. "