Steps toward establishment of independent nuclear fuel cycle

Effort has to be exerted to make up for the lag in the industrialization of the nuclear fuel cycle if nuclear power is to become a stable energy source in Japan. The ''Long term energy supply and demand outlook'' was revised in November, 1983, and in February, 1984, the Nuclear Subcommittee decided to review all plans in the effort to expedite the project to meet the need of the nuclear fuel cycle. The details of the requirement for the nuclear fuel cycle are given in this report. The viewpoint in the industrialization of the nuclear fuel cycle is summarized as the assurance of balance between security and cost, the policy of implementation as related to international cooperation, the proper approach to research and development, and the active private participation from related industries. The promotion of the development and import of uranium ore, the construction and operation plan for a commercial uranium enrichment plant, the basic industrialization policy of fuel reprocessing, the management and disposal of rad-wastes and the promotion of siting nuclear fuel cycle plants are reported. (Kako, I.)