The Government Revitalization Unit kicked off a four-day review session Sunday by targeting nuclear research programs in view of the crisis at the Fukushima No. 1 power plant.
In the first "shiwake" screening session held by Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda's team, all seven of the GRU's lawmakers and private-sector energy experts said that a long-running program for developing nuclear fuel recycling technology with the glitch-prone Monju prototype fast-breeder reactor must be radically revised.
They also recommended canceling ¥2.2 billion worth of Monju-related spending sought from the fiscal 2012 budget.
The shiwake panel also urged the government at the open-door session to halt, delay or cut spending on ITER, an experimental fusion reactor project in southern France.
The International Thermonuclear Experiment Reactor involves China, the European Union, India, Japan, South Korea, Russia and the United States.
The purpose of the Cabinet Office panel is to target wasteful spending for medium- and long-term reform. It will cover 10 areas including science, education and telecommunications.