In 2008, after the opening of 8 brand new nuclear plants in Japan (2 on the Island of Hokkaidō, 3 on Honshū, and 1 each on Kyūshū, Shikoku, and Tanagashima, the last of which hosts the Japanese Aerospace Agency headquarters and uses roughly 2% of all Japan's energy despite only about 21,714 inhabitants) Japan became the second largest nuclear power user in the world with 63
nuclear reactorA nuclear reactor is a device in which nuclear chain reactions are initiated, controlled, and sustained at a steady rate.The most significant use of nuclear reactors is as an energy source for the generation of electrical power and for the power in some ships...
s. These provide 34.5% of Japan's electricity. Since 1973 nuclear energy has been a national strategic priority because Japan is heavily dependent on imported fuel, with fuel imports accounting for 61% of energy production.
History
In 1954, Japan budgeted 230 million yen for nuclear energy, marking the beginning of the program. The
Atomic Energy Basic LawThe Atomic Energy Basic Law is a Japanese law passed December 19, 1955. Law number 186. It outlined the basics for the use of nuclear power in Japan.-Article 1 :...
limited activities to only peaceful purposes.
The
first nuclear reactor in JapanThe was Japan's first nuclear power plant. It was built in the early 1960s to the British Magnox design, and generated power from 1966 until it was decomissioned in 1998. A second nuclear plant, built at the site in the 1970s, was the first in Japan to produce over 1000 MW of electricity, and...
was built by the
UKThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a sovereign state located off the northwestern coast of continental Europe. It is an island country, spanning an archipelago including Great Britain, the northeastern part of Ireland, and many small islands...
's GEC. In the 1970s the first Light Water Nuclear Plants were built in cooperation with American companies. These plants were bought from US Vendors such as
General ElectricThe General Electric Company, or GE , is a multinational American technology and services conglomerate incorporated in the State of New York. In 2009, Forbes ranked GE as the world's largest company...
or
WestinghouseThe Westinghouse Electric Company is a multi-national nuclear technologies company, a part of the original Westinghouse Electric. The company's operations incorporate various nuclear services, power plants, nuclear fuel, inspection equipment, advanced welding services, and remote handling...
with contractual work done by Japanese companies, who would later get a license themselves to build similar plant designs. Developments in nuclear power since that time has seen contributions from Japanese companies and research institutes on the same level as the other big users of nuclear power.
Japan's nuclear industry was not hit as hard by the effects of the
Three Mile Island accidentThe Three Mile Island accident of 1979 was a partial core meltdown in Unit 2 of the Three Mile Island Nuclear Generating Station in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania near Harrisburg...
(TMI) or the
Chernobyl disasterThe Chernobyl disaster was a nuclear reactor accident that occurred on 26 April 1986 at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in Ukraine . It is considered to be the worst nuclear power plant disaster in history and the only level 7 event on the International Nuclear Event Scale...
as some other countries. Construction of new plants continued to be strong through the 1980s, 1990s, and up to the present day. However, starting in the mid-1990s there were several nuclear related accidents and cover-ups in Japan that eroded public perception of the industry, resulting in protests and resistance to new plants. These accidents included the
Tokaimura nuclear accidentJapan's worst nuclear radiation accident took place at a uranium reprocessing facility in Tokai-mura, Ibaraki prefecture, northeast of Tokyo, Japan, on 30 September, 1999...
, the
Mihama steam explosionThe is operated by Kansai Electric Power Company and is in the town of Mihama in the Fukui Prefecture, about 320 km west of Tokyo.-Reactors on Site:-Events:...
, cover-ups after an accidents at the
Monjuis Japan's only fast breeder reactor. Located in Tsuruga, Fukui Prefecture in Japan, the reactor began construction in 1985 and first achieved criticality in April 1994....
reactor, among others, more recently the
Chūetsu offshore earthquakeThe Chūetsu Offshore Earthquake was a powerful magnitude 6.6 earthquake that occurred 10:13 a.m. local time on July 16, 2007, in the northwest Niigata region of Japan. The earthquake shook Niigata and neighbouring prefectures...
aftermath. While exact details may be in dispute, it is clear that the safety culture in Japan's nuclear industry has come under greater scrutiny. Canceled plant orders include:
- The Maki NPP at Maki, Niigata (Kambara)
Maki was a town located in the Nishikanbara District, Niigata, Japan.Maki literally means "meadow", although the name of this town is written as "scroll" by a homonym to distinguish from another Maki in the same prefecture...
- Canceled in 2003
- The Kushima NPP at Kushima, Miyazaki
is a city located in Miyazaki, Japan.As of 2003, the city has an estimated population of 22,727 and the density of 77.06 persons per km². The total area is 294.91 km².The city was founded on November 3, 1954.- External links :* in Japanese...
- 1997
- The Ashihama NPP at Ashihama, Mie - 2000
- The Hōhoku NPP at Hōhoku, Yamaguchi - 1994
- The Suzu NPP at Suzu, Ishikawa
is a city located at the northeasternmost tip of the Noto Peninsula in Ishikawa, Japan. The city is the proposed site of the Suzu Nuclear Power Plant; however, in 2003 the proposal was "frozen" until further notice....
- 2003
Note that the Suzu NPP plant proposal is said to be "frozen", meaning that it may continue sometime in the future if economic factors turn more in its favor, though there has been no sign of this happening.
These cancellations reflect to some degree the safety concerns that surfaced after the Monju cover-up (1995) and the Tokaimura accident (1999) and could be compared to the situation in the United States where there was a large number of plant order cancellations after TMI and the Chernobyl disaster. However, it is important to note that most cancellations in Japan are a result of 10, 15, or more years of postponed work and poor support. Through the same time period there were also some new plants connected to the grid, and as of 2007, construction is in progress on several other plants. Japan has thus yet to see a complete break in the construction of new nuclear plants, which has happened in the
United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and
FranceFrance , officially the French Republic , is a country located in Western Europe, with several overseas islands and territories located on other continents. Metropolitan France extends from the Mediterranean Sea to the English Channel and the North Sea, and from the Rhine to the Atlantic Ocean...
.
The Japanese government has maintained strong support for nuclear power. After the Tokaimura accident, many reorganizations of the government funded research organizations occurred and stricter controls were enforced, but the size and scope of research in nuclear power topics has continued to expand. While the number of reactors is expected to increase, the focus of new developments will shift to the advanced fuel cycle and next generation plants. Japan plans to be a major player in the
Global Nuclear Energy PartnershipThe Global Nuclear Energy Partnership began as a U.S. proposal, announced by United States Secretary of Energy Samuel Bodman on February 6, 2006, to form an international partnership to promote the use of nuclear power and close the nuclear fuel cycle in a way that reduces nuclear waste and the...
and has joined the
ITERITER is an international tokamak research/engineering project that could help to make the transition from today's studies of plasma physics to future electricity-producing fusion power plants...
project. Furthermore, a
United States-Japan Joint Nuclear Energy Action PlanThe United States-Japan Joint Nuclear Energy Action Plan is a bilateral agreement aimed at putting in place a framework for the joint research and development of nuclear energy technology. The agreement was signed on April 18, 2007...
has also been created, which is indicative of the commitment the Japanese government has to new nuclear technologies.
The nuclear industry in Japan has been highly affected by its United States counterpart. Through the late 1990s to present day, the industry has become confident that the U.S. will see construction of new nuclear plants. Hoping to take advantage of that, along with other opening markets, joint venture agreements between the major nuclear fuel vendors occurred in 1999, 2006, and 2007, following from the legacy of co-operation that began when Japan imported Western technology to jump start its nuclear fleet.
In March 2008, Tokyo Electric Power Company announced that the start of operation of four new nuclear power reactors would be postponed by one year due to the incorporation of new earthquake resistance assessments. Units 7 and 8 of the Fukushima Daiichi plant would now enter commercial operation on October 2014 and October 2015, respectively. Unit 1 of the Higashidori plant is now scheduled to begin operating in December 2015, while unit 2 will start up in 2018 at the earliest.
As of September 2008, Japanese ministries and agencies were seeking an increase in the 2009 budget by 6%. The total requested comes to 491.4 billion
Japanese yenThe is the currency of Japan. It is the third most-traded currency in the foreign exchange market after United States dollar and the euro. It is also widely used as a reserve currency after the U.S. dollar, the euro and the pound sterling...
(4.6 billion USD), and the focuses of research are development of the fast breeder reactor cycle, next-generation light water reactors, the
IterITER is an international tokamak research/engineering project that could help to make the transition from today's studies of plasma physics to future electricity-producing fusion power plants...
project, and seismic safety.
Nuclear Power Plants
There are 63 operating nuclear reactors in Japan with a number of others in construction or being planned. For a list, see List of nuclear reactors#Japan, the map link is Template:Japan nuke plant map2.
Nuclear Organizations in Japan
- Nuclear Safety Commission
Nuclear Safety Commissions are governmental nuclear energy and materials watchdogs and may refer to:*Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission*Japanese Nuclear Safety Commission...
原子力安全委員会 - The Japanese regulatory body for the nuclear industry.
- Japanese Atomic Energy Commission
The was established in 1956 and serves as the regulatory body for nuclear power in Japan. The Atomic Energy Basic Law contained a provision for its creation, and shortly after the law was enacted, the organization started activities, which are stated to be: assure that research and use of nuclear...
(AEC) 原子力委員会 - Now operating as a commission of inquiry to the Japanese cabinet, this organization coordinates the entire nation's plans in the area of nuclear energy.
- Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency
The is a Japanese nuclear regulatory and oversight branch of Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, the organization directly above it is the Agency for Natural Resources and Energy. It was created in 2001 during the 2001 Central Government Reform. It has a main office in Kasumigaseki,...
(NISA) 原子力安全・保安院 - The NISA performs regulatory activities and was formed January 6, 2001, after a reorganization of governmental agencies.
Academic/Professional Organizations
- The Atomic Energy Society of Japan (AESJ) 日本原子力学会 is a major academic organization in Japan focusing on all forms of nuclear power. The Journal of Nuclear Science and Technology is the academic journal run by the AESJ. It publishes English and Japanese articles, though most submissions are from Japanese research institutes, universities, and companies.
- Japan Atomic Industrial Forum (JAIF) 日本原子力産業協会 is a non-profit organization to promote the peaceful use of atomic energy.
- Japan Nuclear Technology Institute (JANTI) 日本原子力技術協会 is an organization that serves the common interests of its members through developing technological foundation with expertise and continuity, and contributing to the revitalization of the nuclear industry.
Community Societies
- Stop Rokkasho
Stop Rokkasho is a project run by the Japanese NGO Boomerang Net and headed up by musician Ryuichi Sakamoto. In order to bring attention to the nuclear reprocessing plant in Rokkasho in Aomori Prefecture, they get artists to contribute songs and other art to the cause. The music and other media is...
is a fairly well known anti-nuclear group opposed to the reprocessing (and other) facilities planned for the site at Rokkasho, Aomoriis a village located at 40.97 N, 141.37 E in Kamikita District, Aomori Prefecture, Japan.As of February 1, 2008 the village had an estimated population of 11,095 and a population density of 43.9 persons per km²...
.
Research Organizations
These organizations are government funded research organizations, though many of them have special status to give them power of administration separate from the Japanese government. Their origins date back to the
Atomic Energy Basic LawThe Atomic Energy Basic Law is a Japanese law passed December 19, 1955. Law number 186. It outlined the basics for the use of nuclear power in Japan.-Article 1 :...
, but they have been reorganized several times since their inception.
- Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute
The Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute is a former semi-governmental organization that existed for the purpose of further nuclear power in Japan. It was created June 1956 by the Atomic Energy Basic Law. It merged with Japan Nuclear Cycle Development Institute and became Japan Atomic Energy...
(JAERI) - 日本原子力研究所
-
- The original nuclear energy research organization established by the Japanese government under cooperation with US partners.
- Atomic Fuel Corporation - 原子燃料公社
- This organization was formed along with JAERI under the Atomic Energy Basic Law and was later reorganized to be PNC.
- Power Reactor and Nuclear Fuel Development Corporation
The or for short, was a Japanese nuclear energy research organization established October 2, 1967 with the Atomic Fuel Corporation as it's parent organization and disbanded 1998 to be restructured as Japan Nuclear Cycle Development Institute. The organization specialized in special Breeder...
(PNC) - 動力炉・核燃料開発事業団
- This organization succeeded the AFC in 1967 in order to perform more direct construction of experimental nuclear plants.
- Japan Nuclear Cycle Development Institute (JNC) - 核燃料サイクル開発機構 (semi-governmental agency)
- Was formed in 1998 as the direct successor to the PNC. This organization operated Lojo and Monju
is Japan's only fast breeder reactor. Located in Tsuruga, Fukui Prefecture in Japan, the reactor began construction in 1985 and first achieved criticality in April 1994....
experimental and demonstration reactors.
- Japan Atomic Energy Agency
The was formed October 1, 2005 by a merger of two previous semi-governmental organizations. While it inherited the activities of both PNC and JAERI, it also inherited the nickname of JAERI, "Genken" 原研, an abbreviated word for "nuclear research"....
(JAEA) - 日本原子力研究開発機構
- This is the modern, currently operating primary nuclear research organization in Japan. It was formed by a merger of JAERI and JNC in 2005.
Electric Utilities Running Nuclear Plants
Japan is divided into a number of regions that each get electric service from their respective regional provider, all utilities hold a monopoly and are strictly regulated by the Japanese government. For more background information see Energy in Japan. All regional utilities in Japan currently operate nuclear plants with the exception of the Okinawa Electric Power Company. They are also all members of the
Federation of Electric Power CompaniesThe Federation of Electric Power Companies is an industry organization of electric utilities in Japan. It's objective is to harmonize the plans for electric development in Japan...
(FEPCO) industry organization. The companies are listed below.
- Regional electric providers
- The Tokyo Electric Power Company
, also known as or TEPCO, is an electric utility servicing Japan's Kantō region, Yamanashi Prefecture, and the eastern portion of Shizuoka Prefecture. This area includes Tokyo. Its headquarters are located in Chiyoda, Tokyo and international branch offices exist in Washington, D.C...
(TEPCO) - 東京電力
- Kyūshū Electric Power Company
The provides power to 7 prefectures , and recently, to some parts of Hiroshima Prefecture. The shortened name of may sometimes be used...
(Kyūshū Electric) - 九州電力
- Chūbu Electric Power Company
, abbreviated as Chuden in Japanese, is the electric provider for the middle Chūbu region of the Honshū island of Japan. It provides electricity at 60 Hz, though an area of Nagano Prefecture uses 50 Hz....
(Chūbu Electric) - 中部電力
- Tōhoku Electric Power Company
is electric utility, servicing 7.6 million individual & corporate customers in 6 prefectures in Tōhoku region plus Niigata Prefecture. It provides electricity at 100 V, 50 Hz, though some area use 60 Hz....
(Tōhoku Electric) - 東北電力
- Shikoku Electric Power Company
The is the electric provider for the 4 prefectures of the Shikoku island in Japan with few exceptions. Their image character is .On April 12, 1991 the company instituted Akari-chan as their image character and at the same time introduced the romanized nickname of Yonden .The company is also an...
(YONDEN) - 四国電力
- Kansai Electric Power Company
, also known as , is an electric utility with its operational area of Kansai region . The company is regarded as one of the leading companies in Kansai, as well as the leader of electric power industry....
(KEPCO) - 関西電力
- Hokuriku Electric Power Company
The Hokuriku Electric Power Company supplies power by a regulated monopoly to the Toyama Prefecture, Ishikawa Prefecture, the northern part of Fukui Prefecture, and northwestern parts of Gifu Prefecture...
(RIKUDEN) - 北陸電力
- Hokkaidō Electric Power Company
The , or for short, is the monopoly electric company of Hokkaidō, Japan. It is also known as Hokuden, Dōden, and HEPCO. The company is traded on the Tokyo Stock Exchange , Osaka Securities Exchange , and Sapporo Securities Exchange....
(HEPCO) - 北海道電力
- Chūgoku Electric Power Company (Chuden) - 中国電力
- Other companies with a stake in nuclear power
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- Japan Atomic Energy Agency
The was formed October 1, 2005 by a merger of two previous semi-governmental organizations. While it inherited the activities of both PNC and JAERI, it also inherited the nickname of JAERI, "Genken" 原研, an abbreviated word for "nuclear research"....
(JAEA) - 日本原子力研究開発機構
- Japan Atomic Power Company
The is a company initially formed to jump start the commercial use of Nuclear power in Japan, and currently operates two different sites. According to the official web site, JAPC is "the only power company in Japan solely engaged in nuclear energy"...
(JPAC) - 日本原子力発電
-
- JAPC was created by special provisions from the Japanese government to be the first company in Japan to run a nuclear plant. Today it still operates two separate sites.
- Electric Power Development Company
The , operating under the brand name J-POWER, formerly , is the largest electric utility in Japan. It mainly produces Electricity from Coal and Hydroelectric Power Stations. It also has a few wind farms and is currently building a nuclear plant in Ohma, Aomori prefecture, that is scheduled to...
(EDPC, J-POWER) - 電源開発
- This company was created by a special law after the end of World War 2, it operates a number of coal fired, hydroelectric, and wind power plants, the Ohma nuclear plant that is under construction will mark its entrance to the industry upon completion.
Nuclear Vendors and Fuel Cycle Companies
Nuclear vendors provide fuel in its fabricated form, ready to be loaded in the reactor, nuclear services, and/or manage construction of new nuclear plants. The following is an incomplete list of companies based in Japan that provide such services. The companies listed here provide fuel or services for commercial light water plants, and in addition to this, JAEA has a small
MOX fuelMixed oxide, or MOX fuel, is nuclear fuel containing more than one oxide of fissile or fertile materials. Specifically, it usually refers to a blend of oxides of plutonium and natural uranium, reprocessed uranium, or depleted uranium which behaves similarly to the low-enriched uranium oxide fuel...
fabrication plant.
- Nuclear Fuel Industries (NFI) - 原子燃料工業
-
- NFI operates nuclear fuel fabrication plants in both Kumatori, Osaka
is a town located in Sen'nan District, Osaka, Japan.As of 2003, the town has an estimated population of 43,781 and a density of 2,546.89 persons per km². The total area is 17.19 km². Kumatori is home to Osaka University of Health and Sport Sciences ....
and in Tōkai, Ibarakiis a village located in Naka District, Ibaraki, Japan. It is approximately 120 km north of Tokyo, Japan on the Pacific coast.As of 1 January 2005, the village has an estimated population of 35,467 and a density of 946.29 persons per km²...
, fabricating 284 and 200 (respectively) metric tons Uranium per year. The Tōkai site produces BWRThe Boiling Water Reactor is a type of nuclear reactor used for the generation of electrical power. It is the second most common type of electricity-generating nuclear reactor after the pressurized water reactor . The BWR was developed by the Idaho National Laboratory and General Electric in the...
, HTR, and ATR fuel while the Kumatori site produces only PWRPressurized water reactors comprise a majority of all western nuclear power plants and are one of two types of light water reactor , the other type being boiling water reactors . In a PWR the primary coolant is pumped under high pressure to the reactor core, then the heated water transfers...
fuel.
- Japan Nuclear Fuel Limited
Japan Nuclear Fuel Ltd. is a nuclear energy company involved in the production of nuclear fuel, as well as the reprocessing, storage and disposal of nuclear waste...
(JNFL, JNF) - 日本原燃
- The shareholders of JNFL are the Japanese utilities. JNFL plans to open a full scale enrichment facility in Rokkasho, Aomori
is a village located at 40.97 N, 141.37 E in Kamikita District, Aomori Prefecture, Japan.As of February 1, 2008 the village had an estimated population of 11,095 and a population density of 43.9 persons per km²...
with a capacity of 1.5 million SWU/yr along with a MOX fuel fabrication facility. JNFL has also operated a nuclear fuel fabrication facility called Kurihama Nuclear Fuel Plant in Yokosuka, Kanagawais a city located in Kanagawa, Japan.It is located at the mouth of Tokyo Bay in the Miura Peninsula, and the city stretches across the peninsula to Sagami Bay. Its neighbors are Yokohama, Miura, Hayama, and Zushi.-Heian period:...
as GNF, producing BWR fuel.
- Mitsubishi Heavy Industries
, or MHI, is a Japanese company. It is one of the core companies of Mitsubishi Group.-History:In 1870 Yataro Iwasaki, the founder of Mitsubishi took a lease of Government-owned Nagasaki Shipyard. He named it Nagasaki Shipyard & Machinery Works, and started the shipbuilding business on a full scale...
/ AtmeaAtmea is a joint venture between Mitsubishi and Areva that will develop, market, license and sell a new generation III pressurized water reactor. A memorandum of understanding between the two companies effectively creating the entity was signed October 19, 2006 and the name of the joint venture...
- 三菱重工業 原子力事業本部
- MHI operates a fuel manufacturing plant in Tōkai, Ibaraki
is a village located in Naka District, Ibaraki, Japan. It is approximately 120 km north of Tokyo, Japan on the Pacific coast.As of 1 January 2005, the village has an estimated population of 35,467 and a density of 946.29 persons per km²...
, and contributes many heavy industry components to construction of new nuclear plants, and has recently designed its own APWRWestinghouse Electric Company's AP1000 reactor design is the first Generation III+ reactor to receive final design approval from the NRC.
plant type, fuel fabrication has been completely PWRPressurized water reactors comprise a majority of all western nuclear power plants and are one of two types of light water reactor , the other type being boiling water reactors . In a PWR the primary coolant is pumped under high pressure to the reactor core, then the heated water transfers...
fuel, though MHI sells components to BWRs as well. It was selected by the Japanese government to develop fast breeder reactor technology and formed Mitsubishi FBR SystemsMitsubishi FBR Systems, Inc. is a company formed on July 1, 2007 by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries to develop Fast breeder reactor technology. The establishment of the company was based on the April 2007 decision by the Japanese government to select Mitsubishi as the core company for FBR development...
. MHI has also announced an alliance with ArevaAREVA is a French public multinational industrial conglomerate that is mainly known for nuclear power; it also has interests in other energy projects. It was created on 3 September 2001, by the merger of Framatome and Cogema...
to form a new company called Atmea.
- Global Nuclear Fuel (GNF)
- GNF was formed as a joint venture with General Electric Nuclear Energy (GENE), Hitachi
is a Japanese multinational corporation specializing in high-technology and services headquartered in Marunouchi Itchome, Chiyoda, Tokyo, Japan...
, and Toshibais a Japanese multinational conglomerate manufacturing company, headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. The company's main business is in infrastructure, consumer products, electronic devices and components.Toshiba-made Semiconductors are among the Worldwide Top 20 Semiconductor Sales Leaders...
in 1999. Toshiba has since withdrawn its ownership corresponding with the purchase of WestinghouseThe Westinghouse Electric Company is a multi-national nuclear technologies company, a part of the original Westinghouse Electric. The company's operations incorporate various nuclear services, power plants, nuclear fuel, inspection equipment, advanced welding services, and remote handling...
. GENE has since strengthened its relationship with Hitachi, eventually forming a new company:
- GE-Hitachi Nuclear Energy (GEH) - 日立GEニュークリア・エナジー
- This company was formed July 1, 2007. Its next generation reactor, the ESBWR
The reactor formally known as Economic Simplified Boiling Water Reactor is a passively safe generation III+ reactor which builds on the success of the ABWR...
has made significant progress with US regulators, and as of July 2007, has been submitted to English regulators as well for the generic design assessment (GDA) process.
- Toshiba
is a Japanese multinational conglomerate manufacturing company, headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. The company's main business is in infrastructure, consumer products, electronic devices and components.Toshiba-made Semiconductors are among the Worldwide Top 20 Semiconductor Sales Leaders...
- 東芝 電力システム社 原子力事業部
- Toshiba has maintained a large nuclear business focused mostly on Boiling Water Reactors. With the purchase of the American Westinghouse
The Westinghouse Electric Company is a multi-national nuclear technologies company, a part of the original Westinghouse Electric. The company's operations incorporate various nuclear services, power plants, nuclear fuel, inspection equipment, advanced welding services, and remote handling...
by 5.4 Billion USD in 2006, which is focused mainly on Pressurized Water ReactorPressurized water reactors comprise a majority of all western nuclear power plants and are one of two types of light water reactor , the other type being boiling water reactors . In a PWR the primary coolant is pumped under high pressure to the reactor core, then the heated water transfers...
technology, it increased the size of its nuclear business about two fold. Toshiba has plans to continue significant expansion in the next decade.
Other Proprietary Organizations
- JCO
JCO was a Japanese nuclear fuel cycle company established in October 1979 as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Sumitomo Metal Mining Co., Ltd. as Japan Nuclear Fuel Conversion Co. . As of 2000, stock capitalization was 1 billion USD.-Time line:*1979 JCO founded...
-
- Established in 1978 as by Sumimoto Metal Mining Co. this company did work with Uranium conversion and set up factories at the Tokai-mura site. Later, it was held solely responsible for the Tokaimura nuclear accident
Japan's worst nuclear radiation accident took place at a uranium reprocessing facility in Tokai-mura, Ibaraki prefecture, northeast of Tokyo, Japan, on 30 September, 1999...
Citizens' Nuclear Information Center
The Citizens' Nuclear Information Center is an
anti-nuclearThe anti-nuclear movement is a loosely-linked international social movement that people opposed to the use of nuclear technologies follow. The chief focus of the movement is opposition to nuclear power , but also includes other issues such as:* Pursuing nuclear disarmament* Opposing the use of...
public interest organization dedicated to securing a safe, nuclear-free world. It was established in Tokyo in 1975 to collect and analyze information related to nuclear power, including safety, economic, and proliferation issues. Data compiled by the CNIC is presented to the media, citizens' groups and policy makers. The CNIC is supported by membership fees, donations, and sales of publications, and is independent from government and industry.
Accidents
Accidents of note include: the fast breeder Monju Nuclear Power Plant sodium leak in December 1995 (the reactor is still shut down), the
TokaiTōkai in Japanese may refer to:* Tōkai region, a subregion of Chūbu* Tōkai, Ibaraki, a village* Tōkai, Aichi, a city* Tōkai University* Tōkai Gakki, also known as Tokai Guitars Company* Tōkai , a train service...
reprocessing waste explosion in March 1997, the criticality accident at the
Tokai fuel fabrication facilityJapan's worst nuclear radiation accident took place at a uranium reprocessing facility in Tokai-mura, Ibaraki prefecture, northeast of Tokyo, Japan, on 30 September, 1999...
in September 1999 and a widespread falsification scandal starting in August 2002 that lead to shut down all of Tokyo Electric Power Company’s 17 nuclear reactors. Tokyo Electric's officials had falsified inspection records and attempted to hide cracks in reactor vessel shrouds in 13 of its 17 units.
Also, on 9 August 2004 five workers were killed after a steam leak at the
MihamaThe is operated by Kansai Electric Power Company and is in the town of Mihama in the Fukui Prefecture, about 320 km west of Tokyo.-Reactors on Site:-Events:...
-3 station. The subsequent investigation revealed a serious lack in systematic inspection in Japanese nuclear plants, which led to a massive inspection program.
On 16 July 2007 a severe earthquake (measuring 6.8 on the Richter scale) hit the region where Tokyo Electric's
Kashiwazaki-Kariwa Nuclear Power PlantThe is a large, modern nuclear power plant on a 4.2 square kilometer site including land in the towns of Kashiwazaki and Kariwa in the Niigata Prefecture, Japan on the coast of the Sea of Japan, from where it gets cooling water...
is located. As of March 2009, all of the reactors remain shut down for damage verification and repairs. The plant with seven units was the largest single nuclear power station in the world.
See also
Main Articles
- Japan
is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, People's Republic of China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
--> Economy of JapanThe economy of Japan is the second largest economy in the world, after the United States at around US$5 trillion in terms of nominal GDP and third after the United States and People's Republic of China when adjusted for purchasing power parity. The workers of Japan rank 18th in the world in GDP...
--> Energy in Japan --> here
- Nuclear power
Nuclear power is power produced from controlled nuclear reactions. Commercial plants in use to date use nuclear fission reactions....
--> Nuclear energy policyNuclear energy policy is a national and international policy concerning some or all aspects of nuclear energy, such as mining for nuclear fuel, extraction and processing of nuclear fuel from the ore, generating electricity by nuclear power, enriching and storing spent nuclear fuel and nuclear fuel...
--> here
Japan and nuclear weapons
- Japanese nuclear weapons program
- Japan's non-nuclear policy
Japan exhibits a firm non-nuclear weapons policy, most popularly articulated as the Three Non-Nuclear Principles of nonpossession, nonproduction, and nonintroduction of nuclear weapons....
- Japan's Three Non-Nuclear Principles
Japan's are a parliamentary resolution that have guided Japanese nuclear policy since their inception in the late 1960s, and reflect general public sentiment and national policy since the end of World War II. The tenets state that Japan shall neither possess nor manufacture nuclear weapons, nor...
Politics
- Politics of Japan
The politics of Japan is conducted in a framework of a parliamentary representative democratic monarchy, where Prime Minister of Japan is the head of government. Japanese politics is comprised of multi-party system. Executive power is exercised by the government. Legislative power is vested in the...
- Japanese-American relations
The relationship between Japan and the United States of America is one of very close economic and military cooperation coupled with extensive cultural exchange.-Country comparison:-The earliest interactions:...
- United States-Japan Joint Nuclear Energy Action Plan
The United States-Japan Joint Nuclear Energy Action Plan is a bilateral agreement aimed at putting in place a framework for the joint research and development of nuclear energy technology. The agreement was signed on April 18, 2007...
- Global Nuclear Energy Partnership
The Global Nuclear Energy Partnership began as a U.S. proposal, announced by United States Secretary of Energy Samuel Bodman on February 6, 2006, to form an international partnership to promote the use of nuclear power and close the nuclear fuel cycle in a way that reduces nuclear waste and the...
Accidents
- Tokaimura nuclear accident
Japan's worst nuclear radiation accident took place at a uranium reprocessing facility in Tokai-mura, Ibaraki prefecture, northeast of Tokyo, Japan, on 30 September, 1999...
- Kashiwazaki-Kariwa Nuclear Power Plant
The is a large, modern nuclear power plant on a 4.2 square kilometer site including land in the towns of Kashiwazaki and Kariwa in the Niigata Prefecture, Japan on the coast of the Sea of Japan, from where it gets cooling water...
about 2007 Chūetsu offshore earthquake (6.8 on the Richter scale)
- Mihama accidents
Nuclear waste
- Horonobe, Hokkaidō
is a town located in Teshio District, Rumoi, Hokkaidō, Japan.As of 2008, the town has an estimated population of 2,702 and a density of 4.82 persons per km². The total area is 574.27 km²....
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