Preface
It is a great pleasure for us to publish the KURRI Progress Report 2014. This report contains all of the accomplishmentsof research and related activities at the Research Reactor Institute, Kyoto University (KURRI) during the fiscal year
2014 from April 2014 to March 2015
The institute was established in 1963 for the joint use program among Japanese universities to promote experimental
research and education in the fields of nuclear energy and radiation application. The main facility, called the Kyoto
University research Reactor (KUR), has been widely used for various experiments since its first criticality in 1964. Ithas been successfully operated, and has served as one of the most useful inter-university research reactors in our country.
The Kyoto University Critical Assembly (KUCA), accelerators and other research facilities are also open to researchersand students for their experiments.
In the past fiscal year, KUR was subjected to some facility refurbishments and operated for 360 hours, while KUCA
was not operated. In total, we accepted 3,628 man-day researchers and students for using research facilities and forattending scientific meetings held at KURRI. A large number of research subjects has been enrolled, which covers
various fields of nuclear science and technology, material science, radiation life science and radiation medical science.
It is noted that 30 patients have been treated in the clinical studies of the boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) using
KUR in this period. The results of these activities are given in this report.
Some special research projects are in progress at KURRI. One is the project on the Accelerator Driven System (ADS)
by using a Fixed Field Alternating Gradient (FFAG) accelerator combined with KUCA. The world’s first ADS
experiment has been successfully conducted on March 2009, and the 150 MeV proton beam is being provided for theADS experiment and for the related studies including development of target materials. In another project, the world’s
first clinical trial of the BNCT is being promoted using a proton accelerator, based on the successful clinical studies
using KUR. Such leading research activities as well as educational activities at the institute are highly rated in a recent
external evaluation.
Efficient utilization of nuclear energy and radiation is expected to provide solutions to maintain, sustain and even todevelop human society. However, it is now required to again ensure the safety of nuclear energy for its continued use.
With the joint use of such research resources as reactors and accelerators, our program is thus to strengthen thescientific basis for improved safety and to promote leading research toward efficient utilization of multidisciplinary
nuclear science and technology. Our program also emphasizes the importance of experimental education for fostering
young people in the related fields.
The high standing of the institute in research and related activities relies on the enthusiasm and dedication of all theparticipants. Details of their work and achievements during the year are given in the following pages. I am grateful toall of my colleagues who have taken time to prepare this report, and thank them for their cooperation. Also, I would liketo express my sincere thanks for the continued support from the national and local governments, scientific communities
and residents in the neighborhood of KURRI.

Kumatori, June 14, 2015
Yuji Kawabata
Director, KURRI