Signing Ceremony of Financing Contract for the Cooperation on the Construction of the Regional Center for Conditioning and Long-term Storage of Radioactive Wastes in Primorsky Region, Russia

October 11, 2019

  1. On October 1, 2019, the signing ceremony for the Cooperation on the Construction of the Regional Center for Conditioning and Long-term Storage of Radioactive Wastes in Primorsky Region (hereinafter referred to “the Regional Center”) was held in Moscow, Russia. The project will be completed by the end of 2021. Mr. Tsutomu Arai, Secretary-General of the Technical Secretariat of the Committee on Cooperation to Assist the Destruction of Nuclear Weapons Reduced in the Russian Federation, signed a Financing Contract (The amount is up to 1.86 billion yen) for the Project with Mr. Vladimir Luzin, Director General of “RosRAO”.

  Footnote: In July 2019, the Japan-Russia Committee on Cooperation in the Denuclearization of the Russian Federation and the State Atomiс Energy Corporation “RosATOM” concluded an Implementing Arrangement for this project. The Cooperation Project actually starts with the signing of this Financing Contract, based on the Implementing Arrangement.

  1. The Government of Russian Federation has been proceeding the construction of the Regional Center as a national policy with the purpose of conditioning and long-term storage of radioactive wastes accumulated in Russian Far East.  Based on the Financing Contract, Japan will provide funds through the Technical Secretariat to cover the cost of design and production of part of equipment and materials, including a combustion system, to be used for the conditioning and safe storage of intermediate level radioactive wastes.
  2. Until today, the Government of Japan had implemented a series of cooperation in Primorsky Region, the Far East of Russia in such a domain as  Program for Dismantling Decommissioned Nuclear Submarines, named “Star of Hope”, Construction of a Long-Term Storage Facility for the Reactor Compartment Units of Dismantled Nuclear Submarines and Assistance in Constructing a Blast and Paint Facility.  This cooperation project, therefore, will also contribute to the environment protection of the Sea of Japan by achieving safe management of radioactive wastes accumulated in Russian Far East. The construction project of the Regional Center is aimed at conditioning and long-term storage of radioactive wastes, most of which have been generated by dismantling Nuclear Submarines and thus for future transfer to the “National Operator” in a safe manner suitable for final disposal.

(Ceremony)

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Dissolution of the Technical Secretariat of Japan-Ukraine Committee on Cooperation for the Elimination of Nuclear Weapons Reduced in Ukraine

September 4, 2018

 

Due to the termination of the Agreement between the Government of Japan and the Government of Ukraine concerning Cooperation for the Elimination of Nuclear Weapons Reduced in Ukraine and the Establishment of a Committee on this Cooperation done on 2 March 1994(took effect on March 11, 1994), the Technical Secretariat of Japan-Ukraine Committee on Cooperation for the Elimination of Nuclear Weapons Reduced in Ukraine has winded up its activities and dissolved.

Taking this opportunity, we would like to extend our sincere appreciation to our partners for their continued cooperation and support during the mandate of the Japan-Ukraine Committee.

At the same time, please be advised that the Technical Secretariats of other two Committees (Japan-Russia, Japan-Kazakhstan) will continue its work based on the bilateral agreement with each country.

Ex-post Evaluation on the Nuclear Security Project at the Ulba Metallurgical Plant of the Republic of Kazakhstan

October 31, 2017

A third-party evaluation was conducted from April to October 2017 to assess the results of the Nuclear Security Project at the Ulba Metallurgical Plant (UMP) of the Republic of Kazakhstan (*completed in February 2015 with 337 million JPY disbursed).

In June, two experts from the Center of the Promotion of Disarmament and Non-Proliferation (Tokyo), which is entrusted with the task of evaluation, visited the UMP in Ust-Kamenogorsk for inspection of the facility, as well as discussed the performance of the project with the Committee on Atomic and Energy Supervision and Control of the Ministry of Energy and National Atomic Company “Kazatomprom” in Astana.

 The evaluator made a comprehensive analysis of the project, including operational conditions of the physical protection system, improvement of the staff’s competence through training courses, impact and synergy of the project, and sustainable efforts being made by the facility for strengthening nuclear security. The findings of the evaluator were compiled into a report and presented to the Japan-Kazakhstan Committee with recommendations and lessons learnt for the future activities.

(FYI) Projects for Strengthening Nuclear Security in Kazakhstan (2011-2015)

Ex-post Evaluation on the Nuclear Security Project at the Kharkiv Institute of Physics and Technologies in Ukraine

October 31, 2017

A third-party evaluation was implemented from January through July 2017 to assess the results of the Nuclear Security Project at the Kharkiv Institute of Physics and Technologies in Ukraine (*completed in December 2014 with 173 million JPY disbursed).

In April, three experts of “p2 company co., ltd”, entrusted with the task of evaluation, visited the Kharkiv Institute as well as discussed the results of the project with the representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, State Nuclear Inspectorate, Science and Technology Center in Ukraine and Kyiv Institute for Nuclear Research.

 The evaluator assessed the project in terms of operational conditions of the mass-spectrometry system and perimeter protection system provided under the project, coordination and synergy with other Donors’ activities, and maintenance plan and conditions. The findings of the evaluator were compiled into a report and presented to the Japan-Ukraine Committee with recommendations and lessons learnt for the future activities.

(FYI) “Completion Ceremony of the Japan-Ukraine Joint Project for Strengthening Nuclear Security of the Kharkiv Institute of Physics and Technologies” (June, 2015)

Ex-post Evaluation on the Nuclear Security Project at the Institute of Nuclear Physics of the Republic of Kazakhstan

April 22, 2016

Ex-post project evaluation was implemented from November 2015 to March 2016 to assess the results of the Nuclear Security Project at the Institute of Nuclear Physics of the Republic of Kazakhstan (*completed in February 2013 with 89 million JPY spent).

In December last year, the Nuclear Material Control Center of Japan, entrusted with conducting the evaluation, dispatched two experts to Kazakhstan for on-site observation of the facility and for consultations with the representatives of the Institute and the regulatory authorities.

The mission assessed the results of the project in a comprehensive manner; the evaluation criteria include, among others, improvement of the security hardware, development of the staff’s competence through the training course, and other sustainable efforts being made by the Institute for further strengthening nuclear security. The findings of the mission were presented to the Japan-Kazakhstan Committee with relevant recommendations and lessons learnt for the future joint activities.

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(FYI) “The Completion Ceremony for Nuclear Security Project at the Institute of Nuclear Physics of the Republic of Kazakhstan” (June 19, 2013)

Completion Ceremony of the Japan-Ukraine Joint Project for Strengthening Nuclear Security of the Kharkiv Institute of Physics and Technologies

June 9, 2015

The completion ceremony of the Japan-Ukraine joint project for strengthening nuclear security of the Kharkiv Institute of Physics and Technologies (total amount of the project – 173 million JPY) was held on 28 May, 2015 in Kharkiv, Ukraine, with the attendance of government officials of the both States.

During the ceremony Mr. SUMI, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan to Ukraine and Academician NEKLYUDOV, Director-General of the Kharkiv Institute unveiled a plaque commemorating the successful completion of the bilateral project, and Ambassador Sumi commended the KIPT project management team for their dedication and commitment to the important work for nuclear security.

As the first undertaking between Japan and Ukraine within the “Global Partnership against the Spread of Weapons and Materials of Mass Destruction”, this cooperation established the state-of-the-art mass-spectrometry system for analysis of the Soviet-origin nuclear materials in bulk form, and upgraded the perimeter protection system against growing threats of terrorism.

The Ukrainian side expressed their appreciation for the Japanese assistance in strengthening nuclear material accounting capabilities as well as enhancing reliability of security system of the leading nuclear-radiation research institution in Ukraine.

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Go to the similar topic on the website of the Embassy of Japan in Ukraine.

Completion Ceremony of the Japan-Kazakhstan Joint Project for Strengthening Nuclear Security

May 7, 2015

The completion ceremony of the Japan-Kazakhstan joint project for strengthening nuclear security (worth 432 million Japanese yen) was held on April 30, 2015 in the Ministry of Energy of the Repuplic of Kazakhstan, Astana city, with the attendance of government officials of the both countries.

Kazakhstani First Vice-Minister for Energy U. KARABALIN expressed appreciation for the assistance extended by Japan in times of growing global terrorism, and added that assurance of nuclear security would help Kazakhstan to improve the credibility of its nuclear industry. Then, Japanese Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs K. SONOURA pointed out the importance of continued concerted efforts between Japan and Kazakhstan in the sphere of nuclear security, noting that the both states co-chair the Conference on Facilitating the Entry into Force of the CTBT as the countries suffering either nuclear tests or atomic bombings.

The joint project was implemented based on the Implementing Arrangement signed in November 2011 between the Japan-Kazakhstan Committee on Cooperation for the Destruction of Nuclear Weapons Reduced in the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Ministry of Industry and New Technologies (later reorganized into the Ministry of Energy). The whole range of works done under this project has allowed the Ulba Metallurgical Plant and the Institute of Nuclear Physics to maintain the robust physical barriers as well as effectively detect potential intruder threats; concrete fences, alarm sensors, video surveillance and communication systems have been upgraded. In addition to that, training was provided for the facility staff in collaboration with the IAEA.

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