Tsuruga Comprehensive Research and Development Center (Tsurusoken) engages in international cooperation holding the following three policies, as well as aiming to form an international base where personnel from the field of nuclear energy all over the world are gathering for nuclear technological development and improvement.

International Cooperation for Research and Development

Through international conferences and human resource exchanges, we work to promote the sharing of knowledge and experiences on sodium handling technology, laser technology and decommissioning technology among experts in each country to further improve nuclear technology.

International Cooperation for the Development of Nuclear Specialists

We support the development of nuclear specialists for nuclear emerging countries that are learning nuclear technology and aiming to construct nuclear power plants, by providing nuclear technology and experiences through training courses.

Creating an International Network in the Nuclear Field

We aim to create an international network in the nuclear field by fostering and gathering world-class human resources thorough holding international conferences and the acceptance of international students and trainees.

We promote and coordinate international cooperation through holding international conferences on fast reactor technology development or related education and training courses at Tsuruga area.

We have cooperated with advanced nuclear energy countries to aim at further improvement of nuclear technology by mutually incorporating the achievements and experiences and sharing the expertise.

Since 2006, JAEA and the French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA) have held “Topical Seminars” for education and training related to sodium-cooled fast reactors alternately in Japan and France where researchers in both countries exchange information on the technology for sodium-cooled fast reactors such as sodium handling technology.

At the 6th Topical Seminar held in Tsuruga, Japan in fiscal 2018, considering the situation of the full-scale start of decommissioning "Monju", we had presentations and exchanges of views focusing on the themes for which R&D needs have arisen in relation to decommissioning such as treatment of sodium and dismantling of sodium wetted equipment, in addition to the subject of R&D for "Fast Reactors and Advanced Reactors" as well as the development of human resources involved in those R&D.

Moreover, in the viewpoint of international human resource development, the seminar also invites participation from universities giving young researchers opportunities to make presentations and discussions. Students and professors from University of Fukui and Fukui University of Technology, the joint research partners of JAEA, participated in the 6th Seminar.

In fiscal 2019, the 7th Topical Seminar was held at the Cadarache Research Center, CEA in France. With the main theme of the chemical risks for sodium in each period of operation, maintenance and decommissioning of sodium-cooled fast reactors, JAEA and CEA made presentations and exchanged opinions on the research that both organizaitons are working on respectively, such as prediction of the behavior of radioactive materials in sodium and the method of sodium treatment at the time of decommissioning.

Moreover, we held a Japanese-French university session in the 7th Seminar, for the first time. Students and professors from Aix-Marseille University, Grenoble INP and Toulouse INP on the French side, and University of Fukui on the Japanese side participated and exchanged information on the educational programs and research contents of each university through the video conference system.

Session on education and training for decommissioning of sodium-cooled fast reactors

We hold international training courses for personnel in the nuclear field from Asian countries. Furthermore, we accept international students and provide them with opportunities to have practical training and exchange opinions with researchers in line with their research themes.

Human Resources Development in the Nuclear Field for Asian countries

We conduct a project to foster nuclear technical leaders who will play an active role as specialists by inviting personnel in the nuclear field from Asian counties to Japan and provide them with training courses and seminars.

In Tsuruga area, we have been providing training courses since fiscal 2006, and continue to hold the courses after Tsurusoken was established. The trainees who have completed the training courses contribute to the nuclear field as engineers or researchers at the governmental organizations and research institutions in their home countries.

The following training courses were held in fiscal 2019.

Acceptance of Researchers from Asian Countries

The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology has undertaken the initiative to invite nuclear researchers and engineers from Asian countries to the areas where nuclear facilities are located in Japan, and to make those areas the bases for international exchanges among Asian countries.

We cooperate for the above initiative by providing various support when JAEA’s facilities in Tsuruga area accept researchers and engineers.

Lecture to a nuclear researcher

The training menu includes facility tours at JAEA's facilities such as "Fugen" and "Monju" as well as other nuclear facilities in Fukui Prefecture and various lectures.

Acceptance of International Students

We accept international students who come to study in Japan mainly from Europe as “Guest Student Researchers” of JAEA.

Guest Student Researchers experience JAEA’s facility tours and practical training in the research facilities according to their research themes.

Some Guest Student Researchers who have completed the training have returned to Fukui Prefecture for studying at a university in Fukui Prefecture or other purposes.

JAEA’s facility tours for a Guest Student Researcher