Information Sharing Framework Among Experts for Facilitating Development of Fast Reactors and Fuel Cycles

Transparency in the peaceful use of nuclear energy is important as a measure to complement and reinforce IAEA safeguards and promote international/regional confidence building. Moreover, information sharing, a key component of confidence building, will help to promote the development of fast reactors and associated fuel cycles by enhancing transparency, capacity building and encouraging understanding among non-proliferation experts. Currently, the Japan Atomic Energy Agency is carrying out a project to design and establish an information sharing framework (ISF) for supporting and promoting nuclear transparency in the Asia Pacific region. This is a cooperative effort with Sandia National Laboratories, the Korean Institute for Non-proliferation and Control and the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute. At present, requirements for planning and implementing the ISF are under discussion to address inherent challenges that are recognized among project partners. This paper describes the current status of the requirements development process for the ISF. Though the requirements are still under development, they will be finalized and demonstrated in the near future by the project partners. (author)