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Taniguchi, Yoshinori; Luu, V. N.; Tasaki, Yudai; Udagawa, Yutaka; Katsuyama, Jinya
Annals of Nuclear Energy, 231, p.112177_1 - 112177_16, 2026/06
Times Cited Count：0 Percentile：0.00(Nuclear Science & Technology)Nakayama, Masashi; Ishii, Eiichi; Aoyagi, Kazuhei; Hayano, Akira; Ono, Hirokazu; Ozaki, Yusuke; Mochizuki, Akihito; Takeda, Masaki; Kimura, Shun
JAEA-Research 2025-016, 141 Pages, 2026/03
JAEA-Research-2025-016.pdf:13.37MB
The Horonobe Underground Research Laboratory (URL) Project is being pursued by the Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA). The main aim of the project is to enhance the reliability of relevant technologies for the geological disposal of high-level radioactive waste by investigating the deep geological environment within the host sedimentary rocks at Horonobe in Hokkaido, northern Japan. These investigations have been conducted in three phases: "Phase 1: Surface-based investigation", "Phase 2: Construction" (investigation during tunnel excavation) and "Phase 3: Operation" (investigation in subsurface facilities). Since the fiscal year 2020, we have been conducting R&D based on the Horonobe Underground Research Plan for the Fiscal Year 2020 Onwards, which was approved by Hokkaido Prefecture and Horonobe Town. In particular, we are working on the following key tasks with the aim of completing JAEA's 3rd and 4th Mid- and Long-Term Plans: "Study on near-field system performance in geological environments", "Demonstration of repository design options" and "Understanding of buffering behaviour of sedimentary rocks to natural perturbations". This report summarizes the R&D activities on the three above-mentioned key tasks, the goals of which were achieved between fiscal years 2020 and 2024. The results obtained from these tasks will be systematically organized as part of the "Systematic integration of technologies towards EBS emplacement" which has been in progress since fiscal year 2024. This task includes concepts related to the layout of galleries and pits, installation methods for engineered barrier materials, and methods for evaluating their containment performance.
Cho, K.*; Yamashita, Kippei*; Kakutani, Shinnosuke*; Saito, Takuma*; Sasaki, Taisuke*; Sawaizumi, Katsuhiko*; Okugawa, Masayuki*; Koizumi, Yuichiro*; Mayama, Tsuyoshi*; Kikukawa, Taichi*; et al.
Acta Materialia, 303, p.121696_1 - 121696_18, 2026/01
Times Cited Count：3 Percentile：0.00(Materials Science, Multidisciplinary)Wang, M.*; Sakaushi, Ken*; Tsuji, Takuya; Matsumura, Daiju; 9 of others*
Journal of Physical Chemistry C, 130(2), p.931 - 941, 2026/01
Times Cited Count：0 Percentile：0.00(Chemistry, Physical)Nakayama, Masashi; Ishii, Eiichi; Aoyagi, Kazuhei; Hayano, Akira; Murakami, Hiroaki; Ono, Hirokazu; Takeda, Masaki; Fukatsu, Yuta; Mochizuki, Akihito; Ozaki, Yusuke; et al.
JAEA-Review 2025-042, 136 Pages, 2025/12
JAEA-Review-2025-042.pdf:12.95MB
The Horonobe Underground Research Laboratory (URL) Project is being pursued by the Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) to enhance the reliability of relevant technologies for geological disposal of high-level radioactive waste through investigating the deep geological environment within the host sedimentary rocks at Horonobe-cho in Hokkaido, north Japan. In the fiscal year 2024, we continued R&D on "Study on near-field system performance in geological environment", "Demonstration of repository design options", and "Understanding of buffering behaviour of sedimentary rock to natural perturbations". These are identified as key R&D on challenges to be tackled in the Horonobe underground research plan for the fiscal year 2020 onwards. Specifically, "full-scale engineered barrier system (EBS) performance experiment" and "solute transport experiment with model testing" were carried out as part of "Study on near-field system performance in geological environment". "Demonstration of engineering feasibility of repository technology" and "evaluation of EBS behaviour over 100
C" were addressed for "Demonstration of repository design options". The validation of a method for assessing permeability using the Ductility Index and a method for estimating the state of in-situ ground pressure from hydraulic perturbation tests were investigated as part of the study "Understanding of buffering behaviour of sedimentary rock to natural perturbations". In FY2024, we continued construction of the East Access Shaft and the Ventilation Shaft, and construction of these shafts were completed to a depth of 500 m. After the completion of the East Access Shaft, excavation of the West Access Shaft and 500 m gallery has began. As of the end of FY2024, excavation progress is as follows, the East Access Shaft and the Ventilation Shaft were 500 m depth, the West Access Shaft was 472 m depth, 500 m gallery was 112.9 m, respectively. In the Horonobe International Project (HIP), Management Board and Joint Task Meeting was held at the Horonobe URL in June 2024 to review the progress of construction of galleries and preparations of experiments. Task Meetings to review the implementation plan for in-situ testing and analysis were also held. HIP will be implemented in two phases: Phase 1 (from FY2022 to FY2024) and Phase 2 (from FY2025 to FY2028), the research results of Phase 1 were compiled in FY2024.
Aoyagi, Kazuhei; Tamura, Tomonori; Ozaki, Yusuke; Ishii, Eiichi; Motoshima, Takayuki*; Sugawara, Kentaro*
Dai-51-Kai Gamban Rikigaku Ni Kansuru Shimpojiumu Koen Rombunshu(Internet), p.119 - 124, 2025/12
In a high-level radioactive waste disposal, it is important to understand the extent of the Excavation Damaged Zone (EDZ) because it can be one of the factors to determine whether disposal galleries or pits can be excavated or not in the design or construction phases. In this study, we performed a hydro-mechanical coupling analysis to simulate the three-dimensional excavation of the twin galleries which were excavated at a depth of 500 m in the Horonobe Underground Research Laboratory. The analysis revealed that the EDZ was developed 1.5-2.0 m from the gallery wall. The stress acting on the shotcrete was within the ultimate limit state. Based on these results, we estimated that the stability of the twin galleries will be maintained, despite the relatively large extent of the EDZ.
Watanabe, Kaho; Nishiyama, Yutaka; Kakuta, Masakatsu*; Hayasaka, Toshiro*
JAEA-Testing 2025-003, 52 Pages, 2025/11
JAEA-Testing-2025-003.pdf:5.17MB
There is an emergency response team against nuclear facilities accidents of Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA). The team is managed by the Maintenance and Operation Section for Remote Control Equipment. One of the important tasks of the team is purchasing remote-control robots, the quadrupedal robots (called Spot), were purchased in 2022 and 2023 to prepare for the nuclear disaster in JAEA. This report shows the remote-control manual for the quadrupedal robots (Spot), and it is focused on the necessary operations for the team.
Watanabe, Kaho; Nishiyama, Yutaka; Imahashi, Masaki; Taguchi, Yuji; Iitsuka, Yoshinobu; Ouchi, Takuya; Inoue, Shuichi; Kozawa, Takayuki; Nemoto, Takahiro; Sugaya, Takashi; et al.
JAEA-Testing 2025-001, 56 Pages, 2025/11
JAEA-Testing-2025-001.pdf:2.61MB
There is an emergency response team against 7 nuclear facilities (JRR-3 in Nuclear Science Research Institute, Tokai Reprocessing Plant (TRP) in Nuclear Fuel Cycle Engineering Laboratories, JMTR, HTTR and Joyo in Oarai Research and Development Institute, Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor Monju, Fugen Decommissioning Engineering Center) accidents of Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA). The team is in Naraha Center for Remote Control Technology Development (NARREC). On site surveys which are about the situations and the access entering route of the 7 site emergencies were conducted by the team in 2021. And the results of the surveys made the team get two Spot (quadrupedal robots) in 2022. This is because the team thought using Spot gave operators the less exposure than using crawler robots which had been belonged to the team. After that it was confirmed that the Spot have the ability to respond to the emergency on the route of each facility in 2023. This report shows the results of the Spot's run function (= shooting videos, running oversteps, running up and down stairs, and so on) confirmation about 6 facilities (JRR-3, JMTR, HTTR, Joyo, Monju and Fugen).
Kawasaki, Nobuchika
JAEA-Review 2025-043, 74 Pages, 2025/10
JAEA-Review-2025-043.pdf:2.45MB
Russia is one of the most advanced countries in the civilian use of nuclear energy. However, understanding the internal mechanisms of its nuclear program remains difficult due to various reasons. Therefore, this study presents a historical overview of Russia's nuclear energy utilization, fuel supply, fuel manufacturing capabilities, and concepts regarding reprocessing and the nuclear fuel cycle. From this overview, insights have been extracted and analyzed. These insights are then organized under two strategic perspectives: "Strategic diversity and continuity in developments and demonstrations" and "Diversity in utilizations and deployments," with considerations of implications for Japan, as below. Russia's nuclear energy policy strategically utilizes a variety of reactor types and fuel cycle technologies to expand nuclear power generation both domestically and internationally. Currently, nuclear power, centered on light-water reactors (VVER series), accounts for about 20% of Russia's electricity supply, and there are plans to increase this share to 25% by 2045. A wide range of reactors, from large-scale to medium and small modular reactors, are being constructed in Russia. Russia is also actively developing fast reactor technologies, and focusing on the reprocessing and recycling of spent fuel. Internationally, VVER-1200 reactors are under construction in several countries, and cooperation with China is deepening in the field of fast reactors. Notably, Russia offers an integrated, or selectively customizable, package of nuclear technology services on the international stage. These include not only reactor deployment, but also fuel supply, reprocessing, waste management, and even the provision of radioisotopes. Rather than simply exporting products or technology, Russia fosters long-term relationships and trust by flexibly responding to the conditions and needs of partner countries. For this reason, Russia promotes the technology developments in advance within the country in areas anticipated for future overseas deployment. It carefully selects target technologies and services and systematically rolls them out. This flexible strategy, combining "technological diversity" and "strategic consistency", enables cooperation with countries across various geopolitical contexts. For Japan, this strategic approach offers valuable lessons on how to engage in comprehensive international nuclear cooperation, not merely through technology exports, but through integrated approaches that encompass the entire fuel cycle, and by combining elements such as fast reactors and RI supply.
Nakayama, Masashi; Ishii, Eiichi; Hayano, Akira; Aoyagi, Kazuhei; Murakami, Hiroaki; Ono, Hirokazu; Takeda, Masaki; Mochizuki, Akihito; Ozaki, Yusuke; Kimura, Shun; et al.
JAEA-Review 2025-027, 80 Pages, 2025/09
JAEA-Review-2025-027.pdf:6.22MB
The Horonobe Underground Research Laboratory Project is being pursued by the Japan Atomic Energy Agency to enhance the reliability of relevant technologies for geological disposal of high-level radioactive waste through investigating the deep geological environment within the host sedimentary rocks at Horonobe Town in Hokkaido, north Japan. In the fiscal year 2025, we continue R&D on "Study on near-field system performance in geological environment" and "Demonstration of repository design options". These are identified as key R&D challenges to be tackled in the Horonobe underground research plan for the fiscal year 2020 onwards. In the "Study on near-field system performance in geological environment", we continue to obtain data from the full-scale engineered barrier system performance experiment, and work on the specifics of the full-scale engineered barrier system dismantling experiment. As for "Demonstration of repository design options", the investigation, design, and evaluation techniques are to be systemized at various scales, from the tunnel to the pit, by means of an organized set of evaluation methodologies for confinement performance at these respective scales. Preliminary borehole investigations will be conducted within a 500 m gallery, with the objectives of obtaining rock strength and rock permeability data, as well as surveying the extent of the excavation damaged zone surrounding the test tunnel via tomographic analysis. A planning study for the in-situ construction test will be conducted to investigate the construction of backfill material and watertight plugs. The volume of water inflow associated with the excavation of the 500 m gallery will be observed, and its magnitude will be compared with the range of water inflow predicted in the analysis. The test plan to determine the extent of the excavation damaged zone around the pit, which is planned to be constructed in the 500 m gallery, will be studied to determine the in-situ excavation damaged zone. In addition, the investigation and evaluation methods for the amount of water inflow from fractures and the extent of the excavation damaged zone around the pit will be organized. Concerning the construction and maintenance of the subsurface facilities, excavation of the West Access Shaft and the 500 m gallery will continue. It is anticipated that the construction of the facilities will be completed by the end of the fiscal year 2025. In addition, we continue R&D on the following three tasks in the Horonobe International Project; Task A: Solute transport experiment with model testing, Task B: Systematic integration of repository technology options, and Task C: Full-scale engineered barrier system dismantling experiment.
Shikaze, Yoshiaki; Saito, Kimiaki; Tanimura, Naoki*; Yoshimura, Kazuya; Liu, X.; Machida, Masahiko
Radiation Protection Dosimetry, 201(15), p.1025 - 1042, 2025/09
Times Cited Count：0 Percentile：0.00(Environmental Sciences)The two-component model, comprising a fast-decay and a slow-decay component, has been widely used to approximate the decreasing trends of air dose rates in contaminated areas surrounding major nuclear accident sites. However, its adequacy is yet to be thoroughly validated. This study analyzed extensive car-borne survey data collected from 2011 to 2016 after the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident using the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator regression with a high-degree-of-freedom model. This analysis aimed to evaluate the adequacy of the two-component model and investigate the profiles of ecological half-lives. Next, future predictions of air dose rate distributions were made using a prediction model formula that incorporated the average ecological half-life profiles calculated for each land-use and initial air dose rate category. Prediction accuracy was verified through comparison with integrated map data, which merge air dose rate datasets obtained using different monitoring methods and represent the most currently reliable source. In this paper, we present the results of the analysis of the above environmental half-life profiles and the evaluation of the predictive model calculations, and discuss the reasons that led to these results.
Collaborative Laboratories for Advanced Decommissioning Science; NAIS*
JAEA-Research 2025-004, 102 Pages, 2025/08
JAEA-Research-2025-004.pdf:3.33MB
For planning radioactive waste management at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station of the Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings, Incorporated, estimation of radioactivity is essential with considering both contamination from the damaged fuel and activation during reactor operation; with regard to the latter, biological shielding is an important object due to its large amount. It is difficult to conduct field investigations or collect analysis samples at the site, hence the radioactivity should be estimated by calculative analysis with considering the actual conditions of the constituent materials, especially for activation of minor components and water, which affects the neutron flux. Besides it is important to assess the uncertainties involved in the calculation analysis. In this study, the trace composition and water content in the biological shielding concrete were investigated, and a three-dimensional computational model was constructed for the Unit 2 reactor building at the site to estimate the radioactivity concentration. In order to evaluate the uncertainty in the results, the factors contributing to the uncertainty were extracted and the uncertainty resulted from those factors on the calculation results, i.e. the influence of the diversity of the calculation model the parameters used in the calculation model. Based on the results, the dominant factors contributing to the uncertainty were extracted, and the handling as radioactive waste was discussed.
Birkholzer, J. T.*; Graupner, B. J.*; Harrington, J.*; Jayne, R.*; Kolditz, O.*; Kuhlman, K. L.*; LaForce, T.*; Leone, R. C.*; Mariner, P. E.*; McDermott, C.*; et al.
Geomechanics for Energy and the Environment, 42, p.100685_1 - 100685_17, 2025/06
Times Cited Count：5 Percentile：89.38(Energy & Fuels)
sp. nov., a novel hydrogen-producing bacterium isolated from a deep diatomaceous shale formationUeno, Akio*; Sato, Kiyoshi*; Tamamura, Shuji*; Murakami, Takuma*; Inomata, Hidenori*; Tamazawa, Satoshi*; Amano, Yuki; Miyakawa, Kazuya; Naganuma, Takeshi*; Igarashi, Toshifumi*
International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology, 75(6), p.006802_1 - 006802_11, 2025/06
Times Cited Count：0 Percentile：0.00(Microbiology)no abstracts in English
Aoyagi, Kazuhei; Ozaki, Yusuke; Hayano, Akira; Ono, Hirokazu; Tachi, Yukio
Nihon Genshiryoku Gakkai-Shi ATOMO
, 67(6), p.354 - 358, 2025/06
Japan Atomic Energy Agency launched the Horonobe International Project (HIP) utilizing the Horonobe Underground Research Laboratory. The main objectives of this project are to develop and demonstrate advanced technologies to be used in repository design, operation and closure and a realistic safety assessment in deep geological disposal, and to encourage and train the next generation of engineers and researchers. In this review, an overview of the HIP is presented.
Mori, Airi; Johansen, M. P.*; McGinnity, P.*; Takahara, Shogo
Communications Earth & Environment (Internet), 6, p.356_1 - 356_11, 2025/05
Times Cited Count：0 Percentile：0.00(Environmental Sciences)
Chung, J.-H.*; Kwangwoo, S.*; Yokoo, Tetsuya R.; Ueta, Daichi*; Imai, Masaki; Kim, H.-S.; Kiem, D. H.; Han, M. J.*; Shamoto, Shinichi
Scientific Reports (Internet), 15, p.5978_1 - 5978_10, 2025/02
Times Cited Count：1 Percentile：53.65(Multidisciplinary Sciences)Metcalfe, R.*; Benbow, S. J.*; Kawama, Daisuke*; Tachi, Yukio
Science of the Total Environment, 958, p.177690_1 - 177690_17, 2025/01
Uplifting fractured granitic rocks occur in substantial areas of countries such as Japan. A repository site would be selected in such an area only if it is possible to make a safety case, accounting for the changing conditions during uplift. The safety case must include robust arguments that chemical processes in the rocks around the repository will contribute sufficiently to minimise radiological doses to biosphere receptors. To provide confidence in the safety arguments, numerical models need to be sufficiently realistic, but also parameterised conservatively (pessimistically). However, model development is challenging because uplift involves many complex couplings between groundwater flow, chemical reactions between water and rock, and changing rock properties. The couplings would affect radionuclide mobilisation and retardation, by influencing diffusive radionuclide fluxes between groundwater flowing in fractures and effectively immobile porewater in the rock matrix and radionuclide partitioning between water and solid phases, via: (i) mineral precipitation/dissolution; (ii) mineral alteration; and (iii) sorption/desorption. It is difficult to represent all this complexity in numerical models while showing that they are parameterised conservatively. Here we present a modelling approach, illustrated by simulation cases for some exemplar radioelements, to identify realistically conservative process conceptualisations and model parameterisations.
Metcalfe, R.*; Tachi, Yukio; Sasao, Eiji; Kawama, Daisuke*
Science of the Total Environment, 957, p.177375_1 - 177375_17, 2024/12
A safety case for an underground radioactive waste repository must show that groundwater will not in future transport radionuclides from the repository to the near-surface environment (the biosphere) in harmful quantities. Safety cases are developed step-wise throughout a programme to site and develop a repository. At early stages, before a site is selected, safety cases are generic and based on simplified safety assessment models of the disposal system that have conservative parameter values. Later, when site-specific conditions are known, more realistic models are needed for the long-term geo-environmental evolution and their impacts on radionuclide migration/retention. Uplift is one such environmental change, which may be particularly important in countries near active tectonic plate boundaries, such as Japan. Here we review the state of knowledge about how the properties of fractured granitic rocks evolve during uplift, based on studies in Japan. Hence, we present conceptual models and a generic scenario for mass transport and retardation processes in uplifting granitic rocks as a basis for realistic numerical models to underpin safety assessment.
Nakayama, Masashi
JAEA-Review 2024-042, 111 Pages, 2024/11
JAEA-Review-2024-042.pdf:7.83MB
The Horonobe Underground Research Laboratory (URL) Project is being pursued by the Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) to enhance the reliability of relevant technologies for geological disposal of high-level radioactive waste through investigating the deep geological environment within the host sedimentary rocks at Horonobe Town in Hokkaido, north Japan. In the fiscal year 2023, we continued R&D on "Study on near-field system performance in geological environment", "Demonstration of repository design options", and "Understanding of buffering behaviour of sedimentary rock to natural perturbations". These are identified as key R&D on challenges to be tackled in the Horonobe underground research plan for the fiscal year 2020 onwards. Specifically, "full-scale engineered barrier system (EBS) performance experiment" and "solute transport experiment with model testing" were carried out as part of "Study on nearfield system performance in geological environment". "Demonstration of engineering feasibility of repository technology" and "evaluation of EBS behaviour over 100C" were addressed for "Demonstration of repository design options". The validation of a method for assessing permeability using the Ductility Index and a method for estimating the state of in-situ ground pressure from hydraulic perturbation tests were investigated as part of the study "Understanding of buffering behaviour of sedimentary rock to natural perturbations". In FY2023, we resumed construction of the subsurface facilities, 3 new tunnels in the 350 m gallery and resumed excavation of the East Access Shaft and the Ventilation Shaft. By the end of FY2023, the 350 m gallery extension (tunnel extension 66 m) had been completed, and the depths of the East Access Shaft and Ventilation Shaft were GL-424 m and GL-393 m respectively.
