INF
INFCIRC/549/Add. 1
31 March 1998

International Atomic Energy Agency

GENERAL Distr.

INFORMATION CIRCULAR

Original: ENGLISH(Unofficial electronic edition)___________________________________________________________________________

Communication Received from Certain Member States
Concerning their Policies Regarding
the Management of Plutonium
1.

The Secretariat of the IAEA has received a letter, dated 5 December 1997, from thePermanent Mission to the IAEA of Japan in the enclosure of which the government of Japan, inkeeping with Japan’s commitment under the Guidelines for the Management of Plutonium(contained in INFCIRC/549 of 16 March 1998 and hereinafter referred to as the “Guidelines”),
makes available information on its national holdings of plutonium, as of 31 December 1996, inaccordance with Annexes B and C of the Guidelines. In addition, in the enclosure of the same
letter, the government of Japan, in accordance with its commitment under the Guidelines, makes
available the “Plutonium Utilization Plan of Japan”.

2.

In light of the request expressed by Japan in its note verbale of 1 December 1997

concerning its policies regarding the management of plutonium (INFCIRC/549 of 16 March 1998),
the texts of the enclosures of the letter of 5 December 1997 are attached for the information of all
Member States.

ANNEX B
Annual Figures for Holdings of Civil Unirradiated Plutonium

National Totals

as of 31 Dec. 1996
(Previous year’sfigures in brackets)
Rounded to 100kg
plutonium with quantities lessthan 50kg reported as such
[kgPu]

1.

Unirradiated separated plutonium in product storesat reprocessing plants.

600

(___)

2.

Unirradiated separated plutonium in the course ofmanufacture or fabrication and plutonium contained inunirradiated semi-fabricated or unfinished products atfuel or other fabricating plants or elsewhere.

3 100

(___)

3.

Plutonium contained in unirradiated MOX fuel or otherfabricated products at reactor sites or elsewhere.

900

(___)

4.

Unirradiated separated plutonium held elsewhere.

400

(___)

Note:
(i)

Plutonium included in lines 1-4 above belonging
to foreign bodies.

0

(___)

(ii)

Plutonium in any of the forms in lines 1-4 above
held in locations in other countries and therefore
not included above.

15 100(___)(iii)Plutonium included in lines 1-4 above which isin international shipment prior to its arrival in therecipient State.

0(___)

ANNEX C
Estimated Amounts of Plutonium Contained inSpent Civil Reactor FuelNational Totals

as of 31 Dec. 1996
(Previous year’s
figures in brackets)
Rounded to 1000kg
plutonium with quantities lessthan 500kg reported as such
[kgPu]

1.

Plutonium contained in spent fuel at civil reactor
sites.

48 000(___)

2.

Plutonium contained in spent fuel at reprocessing
plants.

1 000

(___)

3.

Plutonium contained in spent fuel held elsewhere.

less than 500kgPu

(___)

Note:
(i)

The treatment of material sent for direct disposal will need further
consideration when specific plans for direct disposal have taken concrete form.

(ii)

Definitions:-Line 1:covers estimated amounts of plutonium contained in fueldischarged from civil reactors;-Line 2:covers estimated amounts of plutonium contained in fuelreceived at reprocessing plants but not yet reprocessed.

Plutonium Utilization Plan of Japan
December 1997

1.

Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Plutonium Utilization(1)

Promotion of the nuclear fuel cycle
Japan's basic nuclear energy policy is "the nuclear fuel cycle policy" under whichuranium and plutonium are recovered from spent nuclear fuel by reprocessing toallow effective utilization of these materials as fuel in order to ensure a stableenergy supply and to reduce the impact of radioactive waste on the environment.
Research and development on nuclear fuel cycle technology is steadily promoted
for this purpose.
In January 1997, the Atomic Energy Commission of Japan (the AEC) deliberated
and took decisions on short-term concrete policies such as plutonium utilization inlight water reactors (LWRs) and spent fuel management. The policies wereconfirmed by the Cabinet in February 1997.

(2)

Reprocessing of spent nuclear fuelReprocessing service is now available at the Tokai Reprocessing Plant of thePower Reactor and Nuclear Fuel Development Corporation (with a treatment
capacity of 0.7 tU/day, halted due to the accident which occurred at theBiturninization Demonstration Facility attached to the Tokai Reprocessing Plant inMarch 1997) and also through reprocessing contracted to British Nuclear Fuels
plc (BNFL) and Compagnie Générale des Matiéres Nucléaires (COGEMA).
Japan Nuclear Fuel Ltd. (JNFL) is constructing a reprocessing plant in the villageof Rokkasho, in Aomori Prefecture, which will be the first commercial
reprocessing plant in Japan and will provide an annual treatment capacity of 800
tU. The operation of the plant is planned to start in January 2003.

(3)

Plutonium utilization in LWRs
It is supposed that plutonium utilization in LWRS (MOX utilization), which
contributes to effective utilization of uranium resources and is at present the mostfeasible way to utilize plutonium, will be the principal way of utilizing plutonium inJapan over the next few decades. MOX utilization is an issue common to allelectric power utilities possessing nuclear power plants. According to the utilities'plan, the Tokyo Electric Power Company and the Kansai Electric Power Co., Inc.
will commence MOX utilization in 1999 at Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear PowerStation (Unit No. 3) and Takahama Nuclear Power Station (Unit No. 4)
respectively.

In the year 2000, MOX utilization will also be started at the Tokyo Electric Power
Company's Kashiwazaki-Kariwa Nuclear Power Station (Unit No.3) and theKansai Electric Power Co., Ltd.'s Takahama Nuclear Power Station (Unit No.3).
Around the year 2010, the cumulative number of nuclear power plants loading
MOX fuel should be expanded to between 16 and 18. (One of the plants, theElectric Power Development Co., Ltd.'s Oma Nuclear Power Station, which will
be an Advanced Boiling Water Reactor (ABWR), shall have a full MOX core andis planned to start operation in 2006). The Government is making efforts to gain
local and general public understanding with regard to the MOX utilization
program by actively convening public meetings and forums in local areas where
the program is to be implemented.
(4)

Fast breeder reactor
With regard to fast breeder reactors (FBRs), the FBR prototype reactor"MONJU" was constructed and various tests such as confirmation tests on electricpower generation were conducted. The operation of the reactor was stopped dueto the sodium leakage accident in the reactor's secondary system in 1995. A
comprehensive safety evaluation of the "MONJU" plant is being performed. Afterthe accident, development strategies for FBRs were broadly discussed by theSpecial Committee on FBRs established under the AEC.
The report by the committee concluded that it would be appropriate to proceedwith research and development of FBRs, based on a flexible plan, in order topursue the possibility of commercialization of FBRs as one of the most promising
non-fossil energy resources for the future. In addition, the report required that thedevelopment plan for the commercialization of FBRs, including the schedule forcommercialization, be arranged flexibly, taking account of the projection of futureenergy supplies while pursuing the safety and economy of FBRs.
Research and development on FBRs, including "MONJU", will be conductedaccording to the strategy which was determined by the AEC based on the above
report.

2.

Enhancing the Transparency of the Nuclear Fuel Cycle Program(1)

Adherence to peaceful use and actions for enhancing transparency
Japan has promoted the development and utilization of nuclear energy, which isstrictly limited to peaceful purposes, in accordance with the Atomic Energy Basic
Law. The nuclear fuel cycle is promoted based on the principle that plutonium
beyond the amount required to implement the program is not to be held, i.e. theprinciple of no surplus plutonium. Nuclear materials are also strictly managed, so
as not to give rise to any international doubts concerning nuclear proliferation.
Japan intends to ensure transparency of the plutonium utilization program throughthese efforts.

Also, from the international standpoint, Japan is a Party to the Treaty on the NonProliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) and adheres to the Treaty. Furthermore,in July 1997, Japan ratified the Comprehensive Nuclear Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT).
(2)

Implementation of International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) safeguards
Japan concluded a safeguards agreement with the IAEA in accordance with theNPT. All nuclear materials related to nuclear activities in Japan are subject toIAEA safeguards. At the same time, according to the Law for the Regulations ofNuclear Source Material, Nuclear Fuel Material and Reactors, the Government ofJapan operates a state system of accounting for and control of all nuclear material.
The system requires an operator of a nuclear facility to obtain a sanction foraccountancy and control rules of the facility from the Government and to submit
accounting reports for the facility, such as inventory change reports, to theGovernment. The contents of these reports are independently verified by nationaland IAEA inspectors. Thus, all nuclear activities in Japan are confirmed to belimited to peaceful purposes only.
In addition, Japan recognizes the importance of strengthening the effectivenessand improving the efficiency of the safeguards system of the IAEA and is making
its best efforts towards the early implementation of the Additional Protocol.

(3)

Projection of plutonium supply and demand
Projections of plutonium supply and demand in Japan through 2010 have been
published by the AEC, as appropriate, based on the progress of related programs,
in order to demonstrate that the nuclear fuel cycle program follows the principle ofno surplus plutonium.

(4)

Publication of amounts of separated plutonium in Japan
Japan was the first country to publish holdings of separated plutonium categorizedby each type of nuclear facility. Since 1994, the AEC has published these figures
each year in the White Paper on Nuclear Energy, so as to enhance thetransparency of Japan's plutonium utilization program.