Thursday nuclear reactor fuel reprocessing first arrived in Japan since 2011 Fukushima disaster, but it will not be used until the factory to obtain government approval to restart reactors.
Takahama nuclear power plant fuel, called MOX uranium and plutonium oxide mixtures, a ship arrived from France in western Japan Sea coast. Dozens of anti-nuclear activists rallied outside, shouting slogans against the plutonium-based fuel transport and use complex.
Power plant operator Kansai Electric Power Company hopes to use the fuel, once it gets the go-ahead to restart the reactor, said early next year.
But two of Japan 50 nuclear reactors have been shut down for safety checks and upgrades, since in March 2011 earthquake and tsunami triggered the Fukushima Daiichi plant, northeast of Tokyo crashes and explosions, causing extensive damage and massive radiation leak .
Shipment, initially planned for early 2011 to reach Takahama plant's No. 3 reactor use, has been postponed and a growing anti-nuclear sentiment in Japan after the Fukushima nuclear accident nuclear fuel cycle policy uncertainty.
MOX particularly controversial because it contains plutonium. Japan has a growing number of spent fuel rods extracted from plutonium reserves, and hope to use it to create more nuclear energy, in part, to help reduce the amount of nuclear waste, it must be stored. Opponents of this policy argue that the use of plutonium-based fuel is less secure, and note that the reprocessed material can be used to make nuclear weapons.
Japan's nuclear fuel cycle project has been hit not only with the opposition, but the technical setbacks. It attempted to test a plutonium-based fuel cycles to achieve self-sustainable development, should be a "fast breeder reactors, it has not been shut down a series of accidents and safety violations, because for many years. MOX other Japanese nuclear reactors may be used, but only combined with uranium a large amount of fuel, and only if the local community to accept.
Although the factory for repair in northern Japan spent waste into plutonium, plutonium-producing countries lack the use of MOX fuel facilities. Because Japan is still lacking its own MOX fuel fabrication capacity, the Japanese nuclear power plant to use MOX French nuclear company Areva SA to send their used fuel reprocessing and MOX fuel fabrication.
Kansai through voltage Takahiro spokesman said that the restoration MOX fuel shipment reflects the Government's policy to maintain nuclear energy and nuclear fuel cycle program alive. He said that for security reasons, until it was safe to bring the necessary checks, the No. 3 reactor building shipment details, such as the MOX deliveries can not be released.
No. 3 reactor uses MOX before downline in February 2012 for routine inspections. Some MOX fuel has been stored in another reactor facility factory.
Since taking office in December, during the election campaign the Prime Minister Shinzo Abe (Shinzo Abe) nucleophilic, pro-industry government to restore security of nuclear reactors, while actively trying, Vietnam and Turkey and other emerging countries export nuclear technology.
Nuclear Regulation Administration announced last week that the new government regulations, July 8 onwards, and pave the way utility to restart the reactor operators, if they pass new safety rules have been made under the first mandatory inspection.
Kansai Electric Power Co. said it plans to apply when checking the two reactors at the Ohi Takahama plant near the new rules take effect. Several other companies are also expected to file for inspection of about 10 reactors.
Chairman Tian Zhongjun a watchdog said the check will take about six months, but he has remained silent, will first check the reactors.
 



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