Civil Nuclear

The Fukushima Daiichi accident in March 2011 abruptly started Japan on a nuclear decommissioning journey, as other aged nuclear plants and research facilities were moved into decommissioning earlier than originally planned. Japan is rapidly gaining capability in the decommissioning process, but remains keen to learn lessons from the UK’s experience, where decommissioning progress is further advanced and many similar challenges have been faced.

In general, decommissioning in Japan can be classified into three areas:

• Fukushima Daiichi
  • Decommissioning of the accident-hit site, including retrieving the melted fuel debris
• Japan Atomic Energy Agency research facilities
  • A wide variety of facilities including test reactors and a reprocessing plant
• Aged reactors
  • Generation stations which have reached the end of their operational lives

Japan is not currently building new reactors, but shares similar interests with the UK in next generation reactor technology. Japanese interest in next-generation nuclear is focused on light-water small modular reactors, fast reactors, high temperature gas reactors and fusion. Other challenges in the Japanese nuclear industry include restart of idled reactors, meeting new, very stringent regulatory requirements, and starting up the reprocessing plant and MOX facility in Rokkasho. Some opportunities also exist for UK companies in these areas, though decommissioning has generally been the area where UK companies have achieved the most success.

Entering the civil nuclear market in Japan is not a straightforward process, particularly for UK firms familiar with the way the system operates in the UK. If you are interested in the opportunities which may be available for your company in Japan, please contact the Department for International Trade nuclear team in Japan for guidance on how to approach the market.