Japan Begins Controversial Uranium Test To Recycle Nuclear Fuel

CIVIL NUCLEAR

Employees of Japan Nuclear Fuel Ltd. applaud as they begin tests using uranium at a plant in Rokkasho, northern Japan, 21 December 2004. The joint venture set up by Japan's nine power companies and other firms, began the one-year tests using depleted uranium after 13 postponements, taking a major step towards recycling spent nuclear fuel amid concern over safety. Image by AFP Photo/JIJI Press

Tokyo (AFP) Dec 21, 2004
Japanese power companies began tests using uranium Tuesday after 13 delays, in a major step of a project to reprocess spent nuclear fuel that is opposed by environmentalists concerned about safety.

Japan Nuclear Fuel Ltd., set up by the nation's nine regional power companies and other firms, began the one-year tests with depleted uranium at a plant in Rokkasho-mura on the northern tip of the main island Honshu.

The recycling of spent nuclear fuel is billed as a way to reuse resources. The technology is already used in Europe and Russia, leading Japan to ship its spent fuel overseas.

"Our journey has not always been easy but today's start of uranium tests is a big step towards reprocessing," Japan Nuclear president Isami Kojima said in a televised news conference in the village.

Scores of demonstrators holding up banners staged a rally outside the plant despite a blizzard, saying the research was unsafe.

The environmental group Greenpeace argues that reprocessing spent fuel does not eliminate nuclear waste, which is simply being repackaged in a way that remains dangerous, particularly during transport.

It took more than 11 years and two trillion yen (19.2 billion dollars) to build the reprocessing plant. A company spokesman said the tests were the first of a radioactive substance.

"We aim to check if facilities will work properly with the radioactive substance and if our manuals will function," the spokesman said.

The new tests mean the company has entered the third of four phases in the experiment with previous tests using water, air and acid, he said.

It expects to start the final round of tests using real spent nuclear fuel - or the de facto trial run of the plant - in about a year, with the aim of starting full-fledged operation of the facility in July 2006.

Japan's government and electric industry want to extract plutonium from spent fuel, enrich it and mix it with uranium oxide to create MOX fuel, which is then burned in light-water reactors.

The Rokkasho-mura plant initially wanted to start uranium tests in May 2001 but the plan has been postponed 13 times to Tuesday due to construction problems on a fuel storage facility and opposition from residents.

Japan has been increasingly concerned about nuclear fuel since 1999 when three workers at a uranium processing plant at Tokaimura, 120 kilometresmiles) northeast of Tokyo, sparked criticism.

The accident exposed more than 400 residents to radiation in the world's worst nuclear accident since Chernobyl in 1986. Two of the workers later died.

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NUKEWARS

Analysis: Few Options On Iran

Washington DC (UPI) Dec 9, 2004
Iran's agreement Nov. 15 with the European Union to suspend its uranium enrichment program seems to indicate international pressure has made a dent on Tehran's policies, but some analysts say its willingness to talk is no guarantee it is going to play fair and economic incentives may not be enough to induce the Islamic republic to abandon its nuclear ambitions.

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