Review of ADS and P and T Programme in Japan

The partitioning and transmutation (P and T) technology to reduce the burden of high-level radioactive waste management is recently receiving more public attention than ever before in Japan. In this context, the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology (MEXT) of Japan launched a Working Party to review research and development (R and D) on P and T using an Accelerator Driven System (ADS), and issued an interim report of the Working Party in November 2013. Although P and T concept with ADS, called 'Double-strata Fuel Cycle', had been regarded as a backup option of that with a Fast Breeder Reactor, the Working Party recommended to change the R and D phase of this technology from a fundamental stage to a principle demonstration stage. For ADS, the Working Party recommended to promote the R and D toward the Transmutation Experimental Facility of J-PARC, though further technical evaluation was requested to start its construction. The Working Party also recommended to consistently facilitate various R and D for other technical areas than ADS in parallel. Such technical areas include partitioning process for minor actinides and fission products, and dedicated transmutation fuel and its cycle. A consolidated road-map toward the realisation of this technology was also discussed in the Working Party. (author)