TAKAHAMA, Fukui Pref. -- Kansai Electric Power Co. is hoping that Thursday's return of mixed uranium-plutonium (MOX) fuel to Britain will put an end to nearly three years of nationwide controversy over Japan's MOX program.

But a host of technical and public relations issues must be dealt with before long-held plans to utilize the fuel are realized.

"We want to restart the MOX program as quickly as possible," Kepco managing director Hisao Takamoto said. "But we understand that the problems caused by the data falsification by British Nuclear Fuels Ltd. has greatly damaged public trust.