Processing of Spent Fuel

Japan has an enormous stockpile of spent fuel at approximately 24,000 canisters of vitrified waste. The AEC in Japan is pursuing a goal of reprocessing spent fuel domestically which includes using newer, but more dangerous FastBreeder Reactors (FBR) which can produce more fuel that they consume by transforming Uranium 238 into Plutonium 239 which can then be used by more traditional reactors in Japan.

Japan has been trying to implement a reprocessing regime since 1956 but as to date has only been able to process 5 tons of fuel, which is a tiny proportion of the stockpile amassed. The fact that a programme started 50 years ago has failed to yield any significant results shows the state of disarray that exists in the reprocessing industry within Japan.

Rokkasho Reprocssing Plant

Rather than agreeing to process spent fuel offshore, the policy to reprocess all spent fuel within Japan is putting all Japanese residents at risk. Because of the inability to reprocess fuel to date, stockpiles of spent fuel rods have been amassed onsite at power plants. As shown by the Fukushima incident, this is a real danger to Japan and is a further reason as to why fission based energy production is not sustainable for Japan.