The 2nd Symposium on U.S.-Japan Nuclear Energy Research Cooperation

The 2nd Symposium on U.S.-Japan Nuclear Energy Research Cooperation was organized by Washington Office of Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) in cooperation with the Office of Nuclear Energy of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) in Washington, D.C. on June 26, 2018.

The participants of the U.S. side included the officials from DOE, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), experts from U.S. national laboratories, and personnel from the U.S. nuclear industry such as Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI); from the Japanese side, participants included government officials from the Ministry of Education Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA), employees of the Japanese nuclear industry stationed in Washington, D.C., as well as JAEA personnel.

As an opening address, JAEA representative expressed its gratitude to those who have been involved in this symposium for their cooperation. He also expressed its expectation for the symposium to deepen cooperation and expand human networking. It also emphasized the significance of international cooperation in conducting R&D on advanced reactors, and R&D related to the accident at TEPCO’s Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station (hereinafter referred to as the ‘Fukushima Accident’).

The Japan Ministry of Foreign Affairs official welcomed audience and expressed its expectation that the symposium would make contributions to the U.S.-Japan nuclear energy research cooperation.

The U.S. government official expressed his gratitude to JAEA for holding the symposium.

He also emphasized the significance of developing nuclear energy use for the U.S. national energy policy and the necessity of promoting international R&D cooperation including technical information exchange and specifically the bilateral cooperation with Japan through the mutual utilization of experimental facilities located in the U.S. and Japan and joint research.

Keynote addresses were delivered by government officials from the policy perspective, as well as by the atomic energy societies of both countries from the technology perspective. The MEXT official reviewed the present situation and the future prospects of Japan’s nuclear policy and R&D, organizational structure of the decommissioning of reactors at Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station, trends of R&D on High-Temperature Gas-cooled Reactors and Fast Reactors along with efforts of human resource development. He also mentioned the close collaboration among industry, universities and government in implementing the nuclear energy policy.

The DOE official explained U.S. nuclear policy, particularly DOE’s initiatives to encourage the development of advanced reactors. The significance of U.S.-Japan cooperation, including human resource development was also stated.

Following the keynote addresses by government officials, efforts of the atomic energy societies and their perspectives were introduced. The participant from the American Nuclear Society reported the efforts made on scientific/technological R&D and human resource development. The significance of the exchanges of technical information and human resources between the U.S. and Japan was mentioned as well.

The participant from the Atomic Energy Society of Japan summarized its overall organizational structure, its activities, and progress regarding the Fukushima Accident. He expressed his expectation that the symposium would result in significant contributions to technical development and fostering human resources by further promoting the U.S.-Japan cooperation.

Two panel discussions followed the opening. One on technology development for advanced reactors and another on post-Fukushima R&D relating to nuclear safety.

In the first panel the participant from JAEA stated the importance of the R&D on advanced reactors in the context of Japan’s energy policy, and reported the progress toward the development of advanced reactors. He stressed the importance of the Civil Nuclear Energy Research & Development Working Group (CNWG) as an international partnership for the development of advanced reactors and suggested that collaboration be continued from short/mid/long term perspectives. He cited how to make full use of results gained through the CNGW framework as an important point to be discussed.

The DOE official briefly explained the plan and progress of U.S. advanced reactor development and the DOE’s initiative to promote its development. He also reported that the U.S. had been exploring the possibility of early deployment of advanced reactors by encouraging private sector’s interest through the public-private partnership. Several programs to support R&D on advanced reactors by the DOE’s Office of Nuclear Energy were reported. It was also mentioned that DOE had been placing the importance on the investment of the infrastructure, such as test reactors etc., to support the development efforts.

The participant from NEI explained the current situation and future prospects of advanced reactor development by the industry, including the development and licensing application of SMR and non-light water reactor development. He emphasized the importance of the public-private cooperation and partnership in addressing the necessity of early deployment of advanced reactors.

The second panel discussion featured R&D for safety enhancement in the post-Fukushima context.

The JAEA expert reported that R&D on Accident Tolerant Fuel (ATF) is receiving increased attention after the Fukushima Accident. Progress of R&D project on ATF in Japan, the present situation, and challenges of irradiation currently implemented under the framework of CNWG were reported along with the necessity for further R&D on ATF toward its deployment. The expectation was expressed that the development of the cooperation with U.S through such measures as the use of Advanced Test Reactor (ATR) would help resolve the challenges.

The DOE official reported the plans, directions, technological challenges, and support from national laboratories on the development of ATF in the U.S. He expressed his intention to support the development efforts of nuclear industry and the activities of the regulatory authorities by expanding and fortifying the support system of national laboratories and to explore the possibility of cooperation which accompanies mutual utilization of experimental facilities of Japan and the U.S.

The JAEA expert summarized their R&D for the decommissioning of Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station, the challenges for the R&D for the decommissioning implemented at Collaborative Laboratories for Advanced Decommissioning Science (CLAD) of JAEA, the efforts to promote the human resource development, and international cooperation. He stressed the significance of the joint research implemented by U.S. laboratories and CLADS in the framework of U.S.-Japan cooperation.

Finally, a U.S. expert reported the analytical work of the progress of the Fukushima Accident implemented in the U.S. and in the framework of international cooperation to address this issue. The efforts made to improve the guidelines for prevention and mitigation of severe accidents based on the knowledge acquired from the research results of Fukushima Accident were also reported. She mentioned the importance of regular expert review of research results for safety improvement of the plant, and of the information from Japan in terms of setting the priority for the review.

Two experts wrapped up the symposium, referring to the attendance to the symposium of the present and former chairpersons of NRC. They suggested that it be a good idea to have NRC involved in the symposium, considering the importance of conducting international discussion on safety regulation standards regarding the development of advanced reactors.

The Symposium was concluded by the closing remarks of a JAEA expert. In his closing remarks, he thanked the participants for attending the symposium and expressed his hope that the discussion between the U.S. and Japan would continue on the issues raised in this symposium.

With the attendance of key personnel in charge of the formulation of the nuclear energy policy in both countries including the officials from DOE and experts from R&D communities, sharing of the common understanding on the importance of this bilateral cooperation in the area of nuclear energy R&D and the discussion of the direction of the future collaboration, the JAEA considers this symposium successful. This was the second symposium of its kind, and we will continue working to hold it again in the near future.

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