TOKYO, April 25. /TASS/. The Japanese government is committed to large-scale cooperation with Russia to deal with the aftermath of the Fukushima nuclear power plant disaster. However, it would like to study in detail both technological legal aspects of such cooperation, a source in the Japanese Agency for Natural Resources and Energy at the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry informed TASS on Tuesday speaking on condition of anonymity.
"The issues related to cooperation in dealing with the aftermath of the accident at the Fukushima nuclear power plant have been discussed extensively, including during the visit of head of the Rosatom (State Nuclear Energy Corporation), Alexey Likhachev, to Tokyo in April," the source said. "We appreciate this corporation’s rich experience and would like to make use of it. However, Japan believes it would be useful to discuss the legal aspects of this issue as well. For example, when studying Russia’s technologies for radioactive waste disposal, it is necessary to coordinate the issue of the extent to which Russia's rules coincide with those of Japan."
"That’s why we believe it would be useful to hold a large-scale seminar in Tokyo where Russian experts could give comprehensive answers to questions from representatives of the Japanese government agencies and private businesses," the source noted. He emphasized that cooperation between the two countries in the nuclear sphere is just beginning, even though it relies on a solid basis.
The foundations for this cooperation were laid by the framework agreement between Russia and Japan on cooperation in the peaceful use of nuclear energy signed in 2009. It paved the way not only to joint work at the Fukushima, but also, in particular, to supplies of Russian nuclear fuel to Japanese nuclear power plants.