Article ID: | iaor201110227 |
Volume: | 39 |
Issue: | 11 |
Start Page Number: | 6827 |
End Page Number: | 6841 |
Publication Date: | Nov 2011 |
Journal: | Energy Policy |
Authors: | Katsuta Tadahiro, Suzuki Tatsujiro |
Keywords: | Japan, nuclear power, Hazardous waste |
Japan's commitment to plutonium recycling has been explicitly stated in its long‐term program since 1956. Despite the clear cost disadvantage compared with direct disposal or storage of spent fuel, the Rokkasho reprocessing plant started active testing in 2006. Japan's cumulative consumption of plutonium has been only 5tons to date and its future consumption rate is still uncertain. But once the Rokkasho reprocessing plant starts its full operation, Japan will separate about 8tons of plutonium