Education and Science Minister Atsuko Toyama called on local officials here Saturday to work with the central government to take steps to restart operations at the Monju prototype fast-breeder reactor.
Toyama met with officials from the city of Tsuruga, where Monju is located, as well as senior members of the Fukui Prefectural Government. It was her first visit to the Monju reactor since taking office in late April. Monju, the only reactor of its kind in Japan, has been closed for more than five years since a sodium leak and fire on Dec. 8, 1995.
During her afternoon meeting with Fukui Gov. Yukio Kurita, the minister vowed to make every possible effort to ensure the safety of the facility and asked for the prefecture's cooperation.
"Monju is a key component of the nation's nuclear energy program and (the central government) will work as if we have no path of retreat," Toyama was quoted as saying.