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[en] The Japan Atomic Power Co. which is one of specified business company on nuclear power generation, has carried out construction and operation of power plants with different types of reactor such as boiling light water reactor (BWR), pressurized light water rector (PWR), and so forth. And, by actively using technical powers and experiences accumulated before then, additional construction of a new power unit, and researches and developments on a simplified light water reactor, a future type rector, and a high breeder proof reactor have been made some efforts. Here were introduced some outlines on development of an improved type PWR, development of a new type reactor for example, deep embedded plant), future type reactor (for example, revolutionary middle and small type reactor, simplified PWR, and simplified BWR), a fast breeder reactor, and a reactor building suitable for a ship shell structure. (G.K.)

[en] The isolation period of high level radioactive waste from human biotope is some ten thousand years or more. Especially, many crustal movement zones are located in our country, so that very careful measures should be taken. Isolation of high level radioactive waste in lithosphere needs to confirm good isolation site. Boring is a chief method to determine the location conditions for radioactive waste. In order to study crack of rock and behavior of groundwater, high density of drilling must be necessary. However, high density drilling should be avoided. In place of it, a geophysical exploration is an ideal method, one of non-destructive inspection. It is important for many countries to establish the technologies to determine the conditions of crack and groundwater by this method. A large amount of data about the contact condition of radionuclide and minerals, pH, oxidative-reduction potential and temperature are needed. (S.Y.)

[en] The nuclear accident occurred at Tokai Works of the JCO Co., Ltd. is a simple but disallowable one formed by neglecting possibility of nuclear fission chain reaction, one of three dangers specific to nuclear power facilities and by feeding middle concentrated uranium solution with more than critical mass into a precipitation tank. As a man consumed most of his life to nuclear power, it is to occur a critical accident forming about 50 previous examples in the world and about 10 victims at Tokai-mura the most earnestly promoting its experiment and analysis and to generate new victims, what was thought to be the most regrettable in this accident. How the previous experiences and results in Tokai-mura could be transmitted to the JCO Co., Ltd. ? This was a large alarm-bell for persons engaging to R and D on nuclear power. As this accident was much deplorable and apological for the common public, it must be carried out to thoroughly analyze its causes, to establish its future responses, and to promote its essential countermeasures. As it is important to open informations on its contents, it is hopeful not to over-exaggerate and over-differentiate the accident, to calmly and scientifically analyze the risk as well as in the other accidents, and to construct actually effective countermeasures. (G.K.)

[en] In the fast breeder reactor, ''Monju'', in order to conduct nuclear plant repairing works securely and effectively, development of a computer system to assist management business on plant repairing work was begun on 1993. The system has been applied to about 5,000 times of operational management through past four times of plant inspection and to daily inspections and maintenance, and is daily used at working places of ''Monju'' such as issue/management of about 110,000 times of operational prohibition tag in isolated management. And, by automation of issue/management on working sheets and operational prohibition tag and others conducted hitherto by hand, the management business has been largely rationalized. (G.K.)

[en] In the thirty years memorial meeting of the National Nuclear Power Generation located Commune Conference (NNGC) held in October, 1998, an extremely important fact was clarified, relation deeply to main aim of NNGC that permanent development was not promised at the location area even if a nuclear power plant was constructed there. Therefore, it is required that Japan government receives operation of three laws on electric source development as soon as possible, establishes a basic target on permanent area promotion in the nuclear power generation located commune, realizes some examples on development of the commune together with nuclear power generation and intends to promoted its location. (G.K.)

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[en] Together with publication of a report on ''evaluation on highly aged countermeasure and future concrete efforts of nuclear power plants in the electricity business'' from Ministry of International Trade and Industry and coming of the highly elapsing age of the nuclear power plants, elongation of their using life had to be realized. For concrete efforts of future highly elapsing age, general practice of apparatus management policies, preparation of maintenance standards, and promotion of technical development on inspection, monitoring, and so forth were listed, and it was shown that together with fulfilling in service inspection (ISI), countermeasure to material deterioration, and fracture and corrosion caused by it became in its center. USNRC and ACRS described on policy on regulation for monitor and maintenance procedure of materials deterioration in accompany with highly elapsing ages and management of aged effects established through a research program on the aged mechanism of appliances and systems in the nuclear power plants, at the ''four countries meeting''. As a maintenance work for highly aging countermeasure, exchange of SG and upper lid of reactor compression vessels in PWR and exchange of shroud in BWR have been conducted. For newly installed appliances, a material conceivable to solve some problems on material deterioration must be used. As a result, it is important to develop some nondestructive testing method to detect and evaluate material deterioration which becomes a key factor in highly aging of the nuclear power plants. (G.K.)

[en] International cooperation on nuclear power technology under promotion of the Japan Electric Power Information Center can be divided roughly to two items: one is an assistant project of Japan Keirin Association and another is an international training of operation management and so forth on nuclear power plant trusted by Ministry of International Trade and Industry. Among upgrading needs of technical cooperation on nuclear power to the developing nations, the electric companies were received a request on private cooperation by the Ministry of International Trade and Industry. In 1985, it was decided that the nuclear power technical cooperation through an subsidy project of the Japan Keirin Association was advanced mainly by every electric companies as a window of the Japan Electric Power Information Center in Japan Electric Industry Association. And, by receiving another request, the Japan Electric Power Information Center began an international training on operation management and so one of the nuclear power plant since October, 1992. Here were introduced outlines of both technical cooperation on nuclear power and international training on operation management. (G.K.)