The Nuclear Regulation Authority has given up on its proposal to gather and store redundant nuclear material from throughout Japan at one common facility run by the Japan Atomic Energy Agency, sources close to the matter said Saturday.
The watchdog had been discussing the idea with the state-backed JAEA but failed to reach a deal due largely to disagreements on cost, the sources said.
Most of the nuclear material targeted by the initiative is small quantities of fuel at around 1,200 universities, hospitals and other places. The owners of the material often try to get rid of it in order to avoid the accompanying safety and maintenance issues.