Still Insisting on Nuclear Recycle

Conference for Fast Breeder Reactor Development in Japanese government released its development plan of building a new reactor to succeed the project of Monju, which had been failing and fated to be dismantled. Learning nothing from failed project of Monju, for which Japanese government spent ¥1 trillion and 20 years, nuclear village of Japan still insists on survival of nuclear recycle project. They are happy enough in pouring time and money into unrealistic plans.

The conference is presided by Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry, Hiroshige Seko, with participation of Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, Japan Atomic Energy Agency, Federation of Electric Power Companies of Japan or Mitsubishi Heavy Industry. In short, they are making an interest group on nuclear power generation.

Development of nuclear reactor is evolving from experimental reactor to prototype reactor and further to proven reactor. The project of prototype reactor Monju worked only 220 days, since it started its operation in 1994, due to consecutive and unexpected accidents. Nevertheless, the interest group of nuclear power generation is stepping forward to proven reactor, even if the technological basis for proven reactor is not proven.

One can see a kind of hidden interest in survival of nuclear recycle project. Japan still has no place to stock used nuclear fuels produced from nuclear power plant. Nuclear recycle was expected to settle the problem with an unrealistic concept of permanent recycle of nuclear fuels. If nuclear recycle project is broken up, resumption of a number of nuclear power plant will be disturbed, damaging management of power generation companies in Japan.

Nuclear village in Japan relies on development project in France to extend the life of fast breeder reactor project. Japanese government has been appealing that it will maintain development of fast breeder reactor by cooperating with ASTRID project in France, which hopes to start its operation in 2030. But, that attitude proves Japan’s inability to deal with nuclear waste by itself.

Japan possesses 48 metric tons of plutonium produced in nuclear power plants, the amount which worth making six thousands of atomic bombs. If it keeps that amount of plutonium, Japan will not only be criticized by international community that tries to improve non-proliferation regime, but may give good reason for neighbor nations, such as North Korea or China, to enhance their nuclear developments. Nuclear interest groups only see the world within 10 meters periphery around them.