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Increased complexity of radioactive waste disposal issues in Japan after Fukushima Daiichi accident   YOSHIKAWA Hidekazu1, and NAGASATO Yoshihiko2   1. Symbio Community Forum、c/o Research Institute for Applied Scieces, Tanaka^ohi-cho 49, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8202　Japan (yosikawa@kib.biglobe.ne.jp) 2. Creative Science Research Institute, 2-1-17 Yoga, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo 158-0097 Japan (ynagasato@nifty.com)   Abstract: Almost seven years have passed since Fukushima Daiichi accident in 2011, and these days the radioactive waste disposal issue is affecting on the future of nuclear power in Japan. In this paper, the appearing dilemma of nuclear policy in Japan is discussed from the aspect of increased complexity of radioactive waste disposal issues. The governmental target of more increase of restarting nuclear power to meet with the current Japanese energy plan 2030 for saving higher energy cost with more reduction of global warming gas emission is facing the difficulty to attain. It is because the number of nuclear power plants to restart is not so enough while the number of nuclear power facilities to be decommissioned has suddenly surpassed after Fukushima Daiichi accident. The sudden increase of decommissioned light water reactors brings the urgent necessity of finding places for disposal of low level radioactive waste with unexpected long time and costs which had not well planned before Fukushima Daiichi accident. The high level radioactive waste disposal issue becomes no simple issue to find a proper underground disposal site in Japan for burial of small amount of vitrified wastes discharged from the reprocessing plant in future. The crucial change of high level radioactive waste disposal issue in Japan after Fukushima Daiichi accident is brought about the delay of commercial operation of reprocessing plant in Rokkasho-mura and the recent governmental decision of decommissioning a prototype fast reactor Monju in Tsuruga. The prerequisite of Japanese nuclear policy for establishing nuclear fuel cycle technology for processing all spent fuels from commercial light water reactor and using Plutonium for fast reactor with vitrified high level radioactive waste in deep geological disposal site all facing the difficulties of realization. Keywords: Fukushima Daiichi accident; radioactive waste disposal; decommissioning; nuclear fuel cycle; social acceptance; risk communication
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