Efforts in public acceptance and in the field of education for the deep geological disposal project in Japan

This paper presents an overview of public relations activities of Nuclear Waste Management Organization of Japan (NUMO), the Japanese implementer of the geological disposal of high-level radioactive waste, which is operated for 14 years since its establishment. The first part of the paper outlines brief history of its public relations activities to date, and describes important events over the period. In the second part, it discusses the quantitative results of NUMO's public opinion surveys on its geological disposal project, conducted on a yearly basis, and assesses what NUMO needs to focus on for obtaining public consensus for implementing this project in the country. Then, in the third part of the paper, it introduces nationwide consensus-building activities and current challenges in the field of education. Lastly, the paper concludes with introduction of current Government's movement and its further perspective and with discussion of how NUMO will pursue its mission in cooperation with stakeholders. (author)