Sitemap  | Contact  | Links  | FAQ
Waste management - how?
MENU_Wastes MENU_Types of radioactive waste MENU_High-level waste MENU_Management of spent fuel MENU_Low- and intermediate-level waste MENU_Volumes MENU_Transport MENU_Radiation and radioactive waste MENU_Transmutation MENU_Waste producers MENU_Nuclear power plants MENU_Nuclear fuel cycle MENU_Reprocessing MENU_Operational waste from NPPs MENU_Decommissioning of NPPs MENU_Medicine, industry and research MENU_Waste management concept MENU_Waste management programme MENU_Why deep geological disposal? MENU_Ethics and responsibility MENU_Waste management options MENU_Demonstration of disposal feasibility MENU_Long-term safety MENU_Retrievability MENU_Deep geological repositories MENU_Geological repository HLW MENU_Geological repository LLW MENU_Waste management today MENU_Packaging MENU_Interim storage MENU_Waste inventories MENU_Natural analogues MENU_Natural analogues for engineered barriers MENU_Natural analogues for glass MENU_Natural analogues for metal MENU_Natural analogues for clay MENU_Natural analogues for geological barriers MENU_Geological barriers – cristalline rock MENU_Geological barriers – clay MENU_Example ammonite MENU_Example salt deposit MENU_Natural reactors MENU_Research MENU_Laboratory studies MENU_Rock laboratories MENU_Grimsel MENU_Geology MENU_Experiments MENU_Mont Terri MENU_Geology MENU_Experiments MENU_Other countries MENU_Belgium MENU_Finland MENU_France MENU_Germany MENU_The Netherlands MENU_Spain MENU_Sweden MENU_United Kingdom MENU_Canada MENU_Japan MENU_USA

Japan

Radioactive waste is stored at several locations. An interim storage facility for low- and intermediate-level waste and high-level waste has been in operation at Rokkasho-mura since 1992; spent fuel has also been stored there since 1999. Spent fuel is also stored at the reactor sites. A large-capacity storage facility for spent fuel is currently being constructed at Mutsu. Various research organisations also operate their own storage facilities for low- and intermediate-level waste. High-level waste is also stored at the research centre of JAEA (Japan Atomic Energy Agency) in Tokai.

 

A surface repository for low- and intermediate-level waste has been operating at Rokkasho-mura since 1992. Planning of an underground repository (around 100 metres deep) for decommissioning waste is currently underway. In 2008, the government assigned JAEA (Japan Atomic Energy Agency) the task of planning and implementing a surface repository for waste from medicine and research.

 

NUMO (Nuclear Waste Management Organization of Japan) is currently planning a geological repository for high-level waste. The aim is to select a site by 2025. Since April 2008, NUMO has also been responsible for the disposal of long-lived intermediate level waste (TRU waste) arising from reprocessing and from MOX fuel fabrication.


Rock laboratories in granite were operated in the former iron and copper mine at Kamaishi from 1988 to 1998 and the uranium mine at Tono from 1986 to 2003. New rock laboratories are now under construction at Horonobe (sediment) and Mizunami (crystalline).

 

 

Further information:
 

www.jaea.go.jp/english/index.shtml (Japan Atomic Energy Agency)
www.jnfl.co.jp/english/index.html (Japan Nuclear Fuel Ltd.)
www.numo.or.jp/en/index.html (Nuclear Waste Management Organization of Japan)

Webdesign & CMS by INM AG