Still dealing with the huge clean up after the Fukushima crisis and debating the future use of nuclear energy, the government now faces another conundrum — what to do with 16 tons of its plutonium sitting in France after being reprocessed there.
The question will be among the issues that come under the spotlight on Thursday and Friday as nuclear proliferation experts meet with lawmakers and government officials in Tokyo.
With all reactors shut down in the wake of the nuclear meltdowns at Tepco's Fukushima No. 1 plant, Japan is currently unable to take fuel made from the plutonium and could be forced to find other countries to use it.