Uranium enrichment by centrifuge in Japan

The promotion of nuclear power generation is one of the most important tasks in Japan's energy policy. The uranium enrichment services necessary for the nation's nuclear power generation are at present located entirely overseas. In 1972, the Japan Atomic Energy Commission (JAEC) took up research and development of the centrifuge uranium enrichment process as a national project and decided seriously to promote it in order to start uranium enrichment in Japan. The Power Reactor and Nuclear Fuel Development Corporation (PNC) took a leading part in the subsequent research and development work on centrifuge uranium enrichment technology. The resultant pilot plant entered into full-scale operation in March 1982. The paper summarizes the construction and operation of the pilot plant and outlines the steps involved in establishing a uranium enrichment enterprise in Japan. (author)