MOSCOW, December 16. /TASS/. Russia and Japan have signed a memorandum on cooperation in the peaceful use of nuclear energy, a source in Rosatom State Atomic Energy Corporation told TASS.
The document was signed by Rosatom, Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry as well as Japan’s Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology in the presence of Russian President Vladimir Putin and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.
According to Rosatom, eliminating the consequences of the Fukushima nuclear disaster is one of the key areas of cooperation.
In particular, the parties have been discussing radioactive waste disposal and the possibility of creating a single platform to promote cooperation in the peaceful use of nuclear energy. Besides that, the parties are considering the possibility of exchanging personnel and sharing innovative nuclear technologies based on the two countries’ experience.
"The memorandum is a tool to support and promote cooperation in the new mutually beneficial areas important from a commercial as well as a scientific point of view. The memorandum proves that the two countries are willing to boost cooperation in the use of nuclear energy," the Rosatom source said.
In March 2011, a magnitude-9 earthquake shook northeastern Japan, unleashing a savage tsunami which caused a cooling system failure at the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant. This resulted in a nuclear meltdown and release of radioactive materials.