The Evolution of safeguards technology for bulk handling facilities for nuclear fuel cycle in Japan; From Ningyo-toge & Tokai to Rokkasho

Tomikawa, Hirofumi; Watahiki, Masaru; Kuno, Yusuke

Japan is the only non-nuclear-weapon country with nuclear fuel cycle facilities including uranium enrichment and reprocessing facilities. The evolution of technologies has been instrumental in improving facility and safeguards efficiency. Older facilities with small material throughput operated almost manually. In contrast, more modern facilities with large material throughput were designed for improved throughput and accountancy and introduced state-of-art safeguards technologies. Japan has the experience of a series of new types of nuclear facilities which are pilot scale through commercial size. This paper presents the efforts and evolutions of the safeguards technology development introduced to the bulk handling facilities including uranium enrichment, reprocessing and MOX fuel fabrication facilities in Japan, through international cooperation. The evolution of technologies has benefited both the State/Operator and the IAEA.