Current Situation of Final Disposalof High-Level Radioactive Waste in Japan
Director, Radioactive Waste Management Policy Division,
Agency for Natural Resources and Energy

Tomokazu Shimohori
March 9, 2022

Overview of Radioactive Waste Disposal in Japan
Sources

Types of Radioactive
Waste

Disposal Methods
00mm

NPPs

Concrete, Metal from decommission

Trench disposal

Liquid waste, Filter,
Consumables（gloves.etc）

Radioactive waste
is 2% of total
waste fromdecommissioning

L2：14％（Dismantling）
Control rod, channelboxes

L1：２％（Dismantling）
Spent FuelHigh Level
Waste

Reprocessing
Plant

Pit disposalRegulation

ElectricPower
Companies

Formulated

Agent incharge

Regulation

Low

Radioactive level

Low Level Waste

L3：84％（Dismantling）

Agent incharge

70m
ordeeperMid-depth
undergrounddisposal
300m
ordeeperVitrified Waste

NUMO

High Nuclear waste
Geological
Disposalmanagement
organization ofJapan

Not
formulated1

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Governmental Policy (1)◆ In 2000, Designated Radioactive Waste Final Disposal Act was enacted and“Nuclear Waste Management Organization(NUMO)” was established as animplementing agency.

◆ In 2002, NUMO started open solicitation for all municipalities to apply for aninvestigation.
◆ In 2007, Toyo Town submitted a formal application for the investigation.
Following this submission, a controversy around the pros and cons of the apply
erupted, which divided the town politically. The application was withdrawn after
the mayoral election in the same year.
Lesson learned from Toyo Town
◆ Opposition of the governor of a prefecture and the surrounding areas→ Lack of understanding at the national level.
Geological disposal projects need to be widely understoodby the public as an issue to be solved by overall society.
◆ Application for literature survey from a single site
→ Aim to conduct literature surveys in multiple regions

Toyo town2

Governmental Policy (2)◆ In 2013, Government established Ministerial Meeting on Final Disposal andstarted discussion on change of policy direction.

◆ In 2015, Revision of the basic policy basedon the Final Disposal Act⇒ Government should take leadership for
public understanding, by publicizing
scientifically favorable areas forgeological disposal◆ In 2017, government published Nationwide
Map of Scientific Features◆ Since 2017, with expecting that multiple
municipalities will undertake the site
investigations, METI and NUMO havepromoted public dialogues to ensure deeper
public understanding of geological disposal.

3Public Dialogues all over the nation◆ METI and NUMO held public meetings with interactive dialogues on geologicaldisposal and Nationwide Map of Scientific Features in more than 140 areas all overthe nation.
■ 2018■ 2019■ 2020■ 2021■ 2022

KinkiChubu

6/10 Toyama
1/19 Matsumoto
2/16 Shingu
5/10 Osaka
7/8Nagoya
8/27 Takaoka
3/10Nagahama
5/25 Kobe
7/21 Kanazawa 9/7 Okazaki
6/4 Yokkaichi
7/30 Kyoto
7/29 Niigata
9/8 Jyoetsu
9/28 Sakai
8/1 Otsu
7/31 Fukui
10/27 Fujiyoshida
11/10 Ayabe 10/16 Tsuruga
1/22 Numazu
12/11 Nishinomiya 10/13 Nanao*Held online 11/18 Toyooka
10/28Gifu
5/27 Nagoya*
8/23
Sumoto12/1 Kyotango
12/8 Toyohashi 11/11 Fukui
9/15 Nara
1/19 Himeji
12/9 Hamamatsu1/20 Shizuoka
11/10 KainanChugoku
12/9 Maizuru
2/4 Hiroshima
5/19 Matsue
6/2 Syunan
5/20 Tottori
9/1 Fukuyama
6/17 Okayama
9/29 Izumo
10/13 Yonago
2/19 Yamaguchi
10/14 Hamada
11/18 Shimonoseki 10/14 Higashihiroshima12/2 Kurayoshi
2/3 Kurashiki
2/26 Okayama

Kyushu/Okinawa
6/2 Naha
10/20 Yashiro
11/1 Kumamoto
1/26 Saeki
2/5 Karatsu
3/9 Kitakyushu
5/26 Kirisima
8/22 Sasebo

9/12 Kurume
9/26 Nobeoka
10/30 Amakusa
12/19 Naha
7/8 Kanoya
11/23 Tsushima
2/8 Tosu

Hokkaido/Tohoku

7/9
Sapporo7/14 Aomori
7/15 Akita
10/21 Kamaishi
11/26 Noshiro
2/24 Tsuruoka
3/4 Shiraishi
5/30 Asahikawa
6/4 Hakodate
6/19 Kitami
8/26 Kushiro
9/18 Obihiro
Kanto
10/3 Yokote
2/21 Minato-ku 12/21 Hachinohe
2/24 Saitama
12/22 Hirosaki
2/25 Kokubunji 1/25 Muroran
3/1 Yokohama 9/15 Sapporo*
3/4 Chiba
10/27 Morioka
5/17 Mito
1/27 SendaiShikoku
7/1Chiba
3/5 Sakata
3/3 Matsuyama 7/28 Maebashi
5/26 Takamatsu 3/14 Anan
12/28 Hiratsuka
6/16 Tokushima 5/22 Aki
2/13 Kumagaya 11/25 Kisarazu
10/21 Uwajima 10/23 Tsukuba 12/10 Yokohama
6/30 Kochi
11/21 Shimanto 7/15 Kanonji* 2/5 Kawagoe
10/14 Utsunomiya
2/15 Marugame 12/4 Suzaki
8/27 Sumidaku 12/14 Hitachinaka
2/16 Naruto
3/2 Niihama
3/3 Shinjuku4Other Public Relations Activities (1)⚫ In addition to the nationwide public dialogue, METI and NUMO are promoting avariety of PR activities to increase public awareness and interests in DGR project,targeting wider range of groups.
PR for families and kids

Support for study groups

Holding exhibitions about
DGR using “Geo-Lab car” at
shopping mall and events etc.

Support for interested groups’
activities including seminars,
workshops or site visits

Geo-Lab car

Workshops about DGR

Dialogue with people whohave diverse opinions“Deep Dialogue” to sharediverse opinions and havehonest discussions on DGRDiscussions withparticipants
Exhibitions at events

Site Visits

5Other Public Relations Activities (2)⚫ METI and NUMO are enhancing broader PR activities for students, younger
generation, and women.
PR for Students

PR on SNSPR for women

Visiting class for schools
and universities

Utilizing SNS such as Youtube
or Instagram targeting
younger generation

Holding exhibitions andpublishing articles using
events or media for women

A Video explaining the overview of DGRand NUMO’s activities on Youtube

Exibition at “WOMAN EXPO TOKYO”

In-person visiting classPosts about
undergroundfacilities on
Instagram

Publishmentof Article

Online visiting class6

International collaboration for final disposal of HLW⚫ International roundtable was held in cooperation with OECD/NEA to deepen
international cooperation in final disposal as a common challenge for all nuclearusing countries.
⚫ Participants shared experiences and knowledge about public understanding
activities and discussed further research cooperation.
Date：[1st] October 14, 2019 [2 nd] February 7, 2020 (in Paris)
Participants : Representatives of 14 countries, OECD/NEA, IAEA
Discussion Point:✓ Decision making process should be transparent, sincere and open.
✓ Stakeholders’ trust and confidence increase when they can see that other countries areapproaching in the same way.
✓ Clear communication should be ensured to bolster general public confidence in the safety.
✓ In a long-term process of DGR project, partnerships between stakeholders, implementersand regulators must be well established, maintained and renewed as necessary.

7Site investigation processes in Japan⚫ Site investigation processes consist of three stage, such as literature survey,
preliminary investigation, and detail investigation.
⚫ If the local government opposes to next investigation, METI and NUMO will not
progress the investigation process.
Publication of Nationwide Map of Scientific Features
Nationwide public meetings for national and regional public understanding
Provision of information according to needs of interested groups

Literature Survey
Hearing of opinions from local governments

Preliminary Investigation (borehole survey, etc.）
Hearing of opinions from local governments

Detail investigation (construction & studies in underground facilities)
Hearing of opinions from local governments

Descision of final disposal site8

Recent Progress in site investigation processes
In November 2020, NUMO started Literature Survey, the first stage ofsite investigation processes, in two municipalities in Hokkaido.
Mayor
Takahashi✓ Kamoenai village made the decision toaccept the offer of government forliterature survey, after discussions among
the village council and the residents.
✓ Suttu town made the decision for theapplication of literature survey after
discussion among the town council andthe residents.

Kamoenai village
population: around 1,000

Mayor
Kataoka

Suttu town
population: around 3,000

METI and NUMO will continue the public dialogues throughout thenation as well as in the two municipalities, to make more municipalities
to have interests in the DGR project and to accept literature survey.
9Place for Dialogue⚫ METI and NUMO are making efforts to support the place for dialogue in which
local residents can take part in survey areas.
⚫ In the survey areas, NUMO and METI provide detailed information on theprogress of literature survey and local development plans, listening to thecommunity’s request at the place for dialogue.
＜Place for dialogue in survey areas＞
Host: municipalities(+ NUMO)

Facilitator
Local Stakeholders- Local council members- Local residents- Local groups- Prefecture- Neighboring municipalities etc.

Secretariat:
NUMO

Presentation/Q&A:
GOJ, NUMO, experts

DGR Project• Provide detailed information of DGR• Report on the progress of literature survey• Site Visit to relevant facilities etc..

＋Local Development Plan
• Discuss community development• Research on social impact of the Project etc.

10Place for Dialogue in Suttu Town and Kamoenai Village◼ In April 2021, “Place for Dialogue” was established in Suttu Town andKamoenai Village. Local residents participate in discussions with neutral
facilitators, and other activities developed based on discussed ideas.

◼ Diverse opinions are raised including concerns and positive views about DGR.
“Place for Dialogue”

Activities●Suttu Town（7 times held）⚫ “Workshop for local future“✓ Workshops for voluntary participants(Topics: DGR project, local development)<Main Topics>• Thoughts on the DGR project• Overview of the DGR project• Safety of the DGR• Progress of the Survey• Ideas to involve local residents• Radiation effects on humans etc.

⚫ Site Visits✓ Nuclear fuel cycle facilities
＠Rokkasho, Aomori✓ Underground research center＠Horonobe, Hokkaido●Kamoenai Village (5 times held)<Main Topics>• Thoughts on the DGR project• Overview of the DGR project• Safety of the DGR project• Progress of the Survey• What is expected for the dialogue etc. * As of February 2022

⚫ Site Visits✓ Underground research center＠Horonobe, Hokkaido

Main opinions✓ Concerned that everything goes as planned by
NUMO no matter what we say✓ Who is NUMO? Is DGR really safe?

✓ Site visit is important to understand DGR
project. We should first understand theproject regardless of pros and cons11

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Future Direction of International Cooperation⚫ International cooperation is also important to enhance the reliability ofgeological disposal projects and technologies.

⚫ Japan is taking the initiative in international collaboration in the area of final
disposal including holding workshops and promoting joint research projectbased in Horonobe URL.
Horonobe URL

HokkaidoTokyo12