U.S., Japan discuss nuclear power initiatives

U.S. and Japan officials recently met for the fifth time as means of bolstering civil nuclear power cooperation efforts.

Officials said the most recent Japan Bilateral Commission on Civil Nuclear Cooperation session was held in Tokyo, with discussions spearheaded by Deputy Secretary of Energy Dan Brouillette and Senior Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs Takeo Mori.

“The United States and Japan have one of the most robust collaboration efforts in support of nuclear energy and we both place great importance on the value of that energy source,” Brouillette said. “Nuclear power is a critical source for clean energy generation, providing energy security and reliability that can improve the standard of living around the world. I look forward to our future efforts with Japan on civil nuclear cooperation.”

The gathering yielded a joint statement in which the nations reaffirmed intent to continue bilateral cooperation in the advancement of shared nuclear nonproliferation objectives, officials said, and continue joint efforts which will be reported on at the next Bilateral Commission meeting to be held in the United States.

Japan’s new policy guidelines to cap its plutonium stockpile at the current level and reduce from there also served as a topic of discussion, as officials noted it demonstrates Japan’s commitment to a transparent nonproliferation policy.

“This new policy is further evidence of the responsible leadership role that Japan continues to play on global nonproliferation issues,” Brouillette said. “The United States and Japan share the same values of safety, security, transparency and nonproliferation, which are the foundation of our strong nuclear partnership.”