It's designed to recycle spent uranium from Japan's nuclear power plants, consists of more than three dozen buildings spread over 740 hectares, costs almost ¥3 trillion and has been under construction for nearly three decades. The amount of fuel successfully reprocessed for commercial use: zero.
Under construction since the late 1980s, the complex is designed to turn nuclear waste into fuel by separating out plutonium and usable uranium. The start date of the project has now been pushed back for the 23rd time, with operations set to commence in 2018.
The money continuing to pour into the Rokkasho reprocessing complex in Aomori Prefecture is raising speculation that attention is being diverted from more-promising avenues of energy development, including renewables.