MEXT Minister Shares His Hopes with the Press, Seeking to Secure Human Resources Together with Universities

On September 25, Koichi Hagiuda, head of Japan’s Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT)—who joined the Cabinet for the first time in Prime Minister Abe’s September 11 reshuffle—held a press conference, at which he expressed his hopes and expectations (photo).

Asked about the development of nuclear-energy human resources within the context of national science and technology policy, he first referred to the positioning of nuclear energy in Japan’s fifth Strategic Energy Plan, saying, “Nuclear power is an important base-load power source . . . contributing to the stability of the energy supply-demand structure in the long term, on the major premise of ensuring of its safety.” Hagiuda then demonstrated his attitude of wanting to strive to ensure nuclear human resources, saying, “Japan can consider safer uses of nuclear energy all the more because of the nuclear accident that occurred here.” To combat young people’s loss of interest in studying nuclear energy, he added that the country wanted to work with people engaged in the field of education ...more

4 September, 2019

White Paper on Nuclear Energy Features Decommissioning, Accumulation of Technology as “Great Assets” for the Future

On September 2, the Japan Atomic Energy Commission (JAEC) finalized its White Paper on Nuclear Energy 2018, which was distributed to Cabinet members one day later, at a meeting held on September 3.

The White Paper focuses on the decommissioning and management of nuclear facilities. Domestically, some 24 nuclear reactors in Japan, including Units 1 to 6 at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plants, are either undergoing decommissioning or are slated to be decommissioned. The Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) has announced a plan to decommission about half of its nuclear R&D facilities. With decommissioning thus moving to the forefront across the board, the document introduces leading examples in other countries as positive lessons from which Japan can learn. Stating that by removing nuclear fuel and radioactive materials, the risks and burdens of managing them are reduced, the document reiterates the positioning of decommissioning in the overall utilization of nuclear power...more
• 16 August, 2019 Proponents for Above-ground HLW Management Lose in Chiba University Debate
• 8 August, 2019 JAERO President Masumoto Reports to JAEC on Activities and Accumulation of Knowhow in the 50 Years since Establishment
• 2 August, 2019 IEEJ’s 2020 Economic and Energy Outlook Compares Effects of Completing and Not Completing Anti-Terrorism Facilities at Japan’s NPPs
• 1 August, 2019 JAEC Chairman Oka Remembers IAEA Director General Amano
• 1 August, 2019 Japan-IAEA Nuclear Energy Management School Begins Its Summer 2019 Session
• 30 July, 2019 Strategic Policy Committee Meets for First Time in Half a Year to Consider Recent Changes in Energy Circumstances
• 17 July, 2019 Fukui Governor Asks METI and MEXT to Use Decommissioning to Spur Industrial Development of Prefecture
• 13 June, 2019 Japan’s Cabinet Approves FY18 White Paper on Energy Policy, Seeking Low-carbon Society to Meet Paris Agreement Goals
• 31 May, 2019 Local Governments Asks National Government to Help Get Overseas Import Regulation on Foods Withdrawn or Relaxed
• 21 May, 2019 【52nd JAIF Annual Conference】 Environmental Activist Michael Shellenberger, a Pro-nuclear Convert, Meets the Press
• 21 May, 2019 【52nd JAIF Annual Conference】 Leader Perspective: “The Role of Nuclear Energy in the EU Low-carbon Future”
• 15 April, 2019 Keidanren Promotes Nuclear Power and Renewable Energies in Electric Power Policy Proposal
• 5 April, 2019 Governmental Advisory Panel of Experts Delivers Proposals about Japan’s Long-term Strategy Based on Paris Agreement

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