NUCLEAR ENERGY: JAPAN AND FRANCE REAFFIRM SHARED

UNCLAS TOKYO 001011 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT FOR ISN/NESS RICHARD NEPHEW AND EAP/J HEATHER DRESSER E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KNNP ENRG PREL IAEA MNUC FR JA SUBJECT: NUCLEAR ENERGY: JAPAN AND FRANCE REAFFIRM SHARED VISION Sensitive but unclassified. Please handle accordingly. ¶1. (SBU) Prime Minister Fukuda and French Prime Minister Fillon reaffirmed Japan and France see a prominent role for nuclear energy in achieving sustainable growth and energy security in their respective countries at their meeting in Tokyo April 11. Their joint Declaration on Cooperation in the Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Energy also stresses the importance of non-proliferation efforts and ensuring the 3Ss (safeguards, safety, and security) in introducing nuclear power generation in other countries. ¶2. (SBU) MOFA contacts point out the Declaration does not contain new initiatives, but rather is a review of existing bilateral and multilateral efforts and prospects for future collaboration. Among bilateral activities are the ongoing commercial partnerships to build Japan's Rokkasho Reprocessing Plant (which PM Fillon visits April 12) and develop next generation nuclear technologies in the U.S., as well as research collaboration on fast breeder reactors. The Declaration also notes Japan and France's support for fuel cycle initiatives through the Generation IV International Forum (GIF) and the Global Nuclear Energy Partnership (GNEP), and their respective contributions to the ITER project. ¶3. (SBU) MOFA provided Embassy officers with the English-language version of the Declaration, which was sent to ISN/NESS Richard Nephew and EAP/J Heather Dresser via unclassified email. (Note: According to MOFA contacts, the SIPDIS text of the Declaration was negotiated in English and then translated into Japanese and French for official release. End Note) MESERVE