10 September, 2020
New Report Released on Nuclear Power’s Role in Dealing with Environment Issues
A subcommittee of experts at the Atomic Energy Society of Japan (AESJ), having carried out a quantitative analysis of data from the International Energy Agency (IEA) and others, released a final report on September 4 on the potential of using nuclear power to deal with environmental issues.
Recognizing that nuclear power technology, with its enhanced safety and reliability, provides an important technological option for Japan in boosting its efforts on environmental issues and aiding its contribution to sustainable global development, the AESJ report makes various proposals, including those on issues related to energy security, the power market, and radioactive waste.
The subcommittee, in its analysis, determined the environmental value of nuclear power using a bottom-up energy system model, examining two scenarios for future nuclear use reducing CO2 emissions by 80 percent by 2050. The first is the so-called reference scenario, wherein the service lives of existing nuclear power plants (NPPs) are extended to sixty years and no new plants are built, and the so-called reten...more
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27 August, 2020
METI Minister Kajiyama Stresses Importance of Realizing HLW Final Disposal
At a press conference held after a cabinet meeting on August 25, Hiroshi Kajiyama, head of Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), addressed a report that Suttsu Town in Hokkaido has been considering accepting a series of investigations toward being selected as a high-level radioactive waste (HLW) disposal site.
He reiterated his recognition that final disposal of HLW was an important issue that our generation—the one that has enjoyed the benefits of nuclear power—must be responsible for resolving.
Final disposal of HLW refers to burial of the waste more than 300m below ground. Systematic, certain realization is the aim of the Nuclear Waste Management Organization of Japan (NUMO), which was formed to be the responsible body, based on the Designated Radioactive Waste Final Disposal Act of 2000. In 2002, NUMO began publicly inviting municipalities to accept investigations. Toyo Town in Kochi Prefecture had applied in 2007, but later withdrew its application.
Investigations under the law are categorized in three stages: (1) literature survey (about two years), (2) preliminary investigation (abo...more
