Progress Toward the Establishment of Integrated Safeguards in Japan

Japan considers the strengthening of international and regional/national safeguards vital for improving the global nonproliferation regime. Japan has been actively involved in promoting the program for strengthening and streamlining IAEA safeguards both within the framework of INFCIRC/ 153 and through measures under the Additional Protocol (AP). Being one of the first countries with an extensive peaceful nuclear fuel-cycle program, Japan ratified the AP between Japan and the Agency on December 16, 1999, which is also the date of the AP's entry into force (EIF). The initial declaration required under its Article 2 was made in June 2000, providing the Agency with a vast amount of information including those related to 4,885 buildings on 151 sites. For the sake of early realization of integrated safeguards (IS), the Japanese government has established an expert study group to develop IS. It is actively reviewing such topics as the development of new safeguards theory and technologies, the role of SSACs under IS and re-examination of safeguards criteria. Concrete measures for strengthening and streamlining safeguards are being reviewed and proposed, including the application of SNRI to the entire LEU fuel cycle in Japan. It is recognized that, in the review of streamlining IAEA safeguards, a priority should be given to those related to nuclear materials of lower nuclear-proliferation risk, such as low-enriched uranium and irradiated direct-use material. The outcome of the study group's deliberations is being presented at such international forums as the IAEA's Technical Coordination Meeting for IS. Japan continues to make every effort to contribute toward the establishment of IS. This paper summarizes Japan's effort as well as the lessons learned so far.