Japan’s research and development program for HLW disposal started in 1976 (Fig. 24.1). The first progress report was released in 1992 by PNC (Power Reactor and Nuclear Fuel Development Corporation). PNC was reorganized as JNC (Japan Nuclear Fuel Cycle Development Institute) in 1998, then merged with JAERI (Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute) to be JAEA (Japan Atomic Energy Agency) in 2005).

In 1999, JNC released the second progress report, and more importantly, in 2000 the Specified Radioactive Waste Final Disposal Act (Final Disposal Act, hereinaf­ter) was legislated.

The process for the legislation of the Final Disposal Act is shown in Fig. 24.2. As shown here, the Special Panel on Disposal of High-Level Radioactive Waste formed under the Japan Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) played an important

NSC: “Requirements of Geological Environment

to Select PIAs of HLW Disposal” (Sep. 2002)

Fig. 24.1 Evolution of high-level radioactive waste (HLW) disposal in Japan (Modified from ANRE/METI and JAEA [1])

Fig. 24.2 Legislation of specific radioactive waste final disposal act (June 2000) (Private com­munication from NUMO on November 13, 2013)

role along with the second progress report of JNC to set the contents of the Final Disposal Act.

Under the act, geological disposal is chosen for HLW disposal, and NUMO (Nuclear Waste Management Organization of Japan) was established for implementing the final disposal of HLW.

Organizational structure and the roles of related organizations set by the Final Disposal Act are shown in Fig. 24.3. As shown here, METI (Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry) decides a basic policy and supervises all related activities. Owners of nuclear power plants provide a waste fund, which is collected from the electricity tariff, and the fund management is done by RWMC (Radioactive Waste Management, Funding and Research Center), while implementation of HLW dis­posal including site selection is borne by NUMO.

According to the current final disposal plan (Fig. 24.1), site of the final HLW disposal is to be selected in the 2020s and the final disposal will start in the middle of 2030s.

The Final Disposal Act was amended in 2007 to include TRU (trans-uranium) waste as a second type of specified waste (first type is HLW canisters, vitrified waste) because TRU waste is also to be disposed by geological disposal technology.

Although open solicitation for volunteer municipalities was employed for site selection, there has been no case except for a failed attempt by Toyo Town in Kochi Prefecture in 2007. Taking into account the failed attempt, METI added another scheme by the government to invite municipalities. The difficult situation, however, has continued, and after the Fukushima accident, the difficulties are increasing greatly.