Commercial plutonium a bomb material
The usability of reactor-grade plutonium for weapons threatens the whole nuclear fuel-cycle concept of Japan's Council for Nuclear Fuel Cycle.
If the cost problem finally spells doom for the Monju project, the government and power companies should also consider the cost-efficiency of the nuclear fuel cycle program.
Japan to return 331 kg of plutonium as U.S. official warns of proliferation risk
A large shipment of plutonium is expected to depart Japan soon amid a warning from a senior American official saying nuclear reprocessing in East Asia could lead to increased amounts of nuclear material that could be used for nuclear weapons. By late Sunday, two armed ...
Japan's ¥2.9 trillion nuclear recycling quest coming up on three decades
The Rokkasho facility is designed to recycle spent uranium has been under construction for nearly three decades. The amount of fuel successfully reprocessed for commercial use: zero.
Panel seeks new body to expand government role in nuclear fuel reprocessing
A panel at the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry decided Monday to propose creating a new body to strengthen the government's involvement in nuclear fuel reprocessing operations. The panel, a fuel-recycling study group, suggested that the new entity should consign reprocessing operations at a ...
The recommendation to review the Monju project should give the government, the power industry and the public an opportunity to reassess the wisdom of pursuing the establishment of a nuclear fuel cycle program.
New delay to Japan's atomic-fuel processing plant puts it 19 years behind schedule
Japan Nuclear Fuel Ltd. has announced another delay to the start of its ¥2.4 trillion nuclear fuel reprocessing plant to March 2016, citing the need to meet new safety standards drawn up in the wake of the triple meltdown in Fukushima Prefecture. After multiple postponements ...
Going nuclear: How close has Japan come?
We examine the historical debate on the country's nuclear ambitions
The long-stalled project to commercialize fast-breeder reactor technology has been kept alive by the Abe administration in its plan for the nation's new basic energy policy.
Lexicon for today's Japan: Reading between the lies
Plowing through the news, one is often struck by the proliferation of acronyms, jargon, new names and terms. It can be a baffling experience, so I thought I would provide some explanations, keywords, synonyms, associative notions and interpretations to aid comprehension — even at ...
Here's eyeing Japan 2014 — warts an' all
"To know the future, look at the past," is a familiar Buddhist aphorism. However, it's also said that a prophet isn't honored in his hometown — which is why I live in Tokyo. As we ride into the Year of the Horse, I thought ...
Work on Rokkasho fuel reprocessing plant to be 'completed' by October
Japan Nuclear Fuel Ltd. said Thursday it expects its spent fuel reprocessing plant in Rokkasho village, Aomori Prefecture, to pass the state's safety assessment and be ready for operation in October 2014. The plan was explained to local governments concerned, as the operator is seeking ...
