The head of the Ministry of the Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) will decide the basic policy on HLW final disposal after cabinet approval.
According to an explanation by the Agency for Natural Resources and Energy (ANRE) at the meeting, the basic policy on HLW final disposal will be revised from the viewpoint of clarifying the government’s position, given the scant progress toward the selection of a disposal site, and the issuance of the Strategic Energy Plan, as well as discussions at a ministerial meeting on final disposal.
As part of that effort, the Japanese government, in order to aid the Japanese public in broadly recognizing the existence of the issue itself, will try to achieve dialogue with the public to foster national debate toward the formation of a consensus.
Seven main items have been newly included in the proposed revised policy, as follows:
- Resolving the issue during the current generation.
- Creating understanding at the national level.
- Having the government propose scientifically-promising sites and submitting them.
- Supporting the formation of regional consensuses.
- Improving and strengthening the Nuclear Waste Management Organization of Japan (NUMO), and the responsibility of operator.
- Offering reversibility and “retrievability,” and ensuring options.
- Developing evaluation mechanisms.
To increase the reliability of evaluations, the Japan Atomic Energy Commission (JAEC) must evaluate the appropriateness of activities, including technological developments and the selection of areas subject to investigation.
Based on the lessons learned from the March 2011 accident at the Fukushima Daiichi NPS, and from the viewpoint of managing spent fuel safely, the draft says that studies and research on direct disposal should be promoted so as to expand storage capabilities and ensure a wide range of options.
The draft of basic policy revisions will be finalized after the general public makes comments on them.
