April 21, 2017
Dr. Shun’ichi Tanaka
Chairman
Nuclear Regulation Authority
Yoshiaki Oka
ChairmanJapan Atomic Energy Commission
Administrative entity to judge the existence of plutonium reserves for which the purpose ofutilization is unspecified
In response to the inquiry on the above-mentioned subject that the Nuclear Regulation
Authority has made (ref. Gen-Ki-Sou-Hatsu-No.1704113 dated April 11, 2017), the Japan
Atomic Energy Commission replies hereunder.
This Commission pronounced the policy of “not possessing plutonium reserves for which thepurpose of utilization is unspecified”, in the paper entitled “Concerning the Basic Position on
Japan’s Use of Plutonium” (Commission decision, August 5, 2003), and subsequently
requested, with a view to providing higher transparency about its peaceful use and confirming
the appropriateness of the purpose of its utilization, that electric power companies submit
their plutonium use plan (hereinafter referred to as “the Use Plan”). The decision further
stated that it would require electric power companies to review their Use Plans as necessary
if it is deemed that the Use Plans are likely to be affected by the actual progress of electric
power companies' plu-thermal plan (MOX fuel utilization plan) and the operations of theRokkasho Reprocessing Plant and the other plants owned by Japan Nuclear Fuel Limited(JNFL). Through such process of the publication of the Use Plans and their views, thisCommission ascertains the appropriateness of the purpose of plutonium utilization thatincludes the quantities of plutonium involved, the places where plutonium is used, the startingtime and duration of the plutonium use.
This Commission as well recognizes the importance to secure supply-and-demand balanceof plutonium consistent with the supply-and-demand situation based on changes incircumstances affecting the utilization of nuclear energy, the total volume of the Japanese
plutonium possession and information obtained concerning each facility. In this regard, it may
be recalled that “the Resolutions accompanying the Act for Partial Revision of the Spent
Nuclear Fuel Reprocessing Fund Act” (House of Representatives Committee on Economy,
Trade and Industry, April 20, 2016 / House of Councilors Committee on Economy, Trade andIndustry, May 10, 2016) required the Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry to seek theviews of this Commission from the viewpoints of peaceful use pf nuclear energy and ensuring
supply-and-demand balance of plutonium, when the Minister is to approve the Mid-term
Implementation Plan for spent nuclear fuel reprocessing to be adopted by the Nuclear
Reprocessing Organization of Japan. On October 2016, as per the accompanying resolutions,this Commission requested the Minister to submit to this Commission the Mid-term
Implementation Plan that includes the timing and the volume of reprocessing and fabricationof MOX fuel prior to its actual implementation.
Thus, as the Nuclear Regulation Authority suggested, this Commission will, as appropriate,ascertain, under Japan’s policy of “not possessing plutonium reserves of which use isunspecified” and following the direction of the accompanying resolutions, the supply-anddemand balance of plutonium from neutral and broad viewpoints, publish the results ofconfirmation, and present its views to the Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry, electriccompanies and spent nuclear fuel reprocessing related companies as necessary.