Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09TOKYO644
2009-03-23 08:33:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Tokyo
Cable title:  

THE CONVENTION ON SUPPLEMENTARY COMPENSATION FOR

Tags:  PARM ENRG TRGY NRR MNUC PUNE IN JA KR 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXYZ0003
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHKO #0644/01 0820833
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 230833Z MAR 09
FM AMEMBASSY TOKYO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1702
RHMCSUU/DEPT OF ENERGY WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
INFO RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING PRIORITY 8393
RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL PRIORITY 4418
UNCLAS TOKYO 000644 

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

PASS ISN/MNSA, EAP/J
PASS DOE FOR NE, MCGINNIS, WELLING NNSA

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PARM ENRG TRGY NRR MNUC PUNE IN JA KR
SUBJECT: THE CONVENTION ON SUPPLEMENTARY COMPENSATION FOR
NUCLEAR DAMAGE AND CIVIL NUCLEAR ENERGY COOPERATION

REF: TOKYO 572

UNCLAS TOKYO 000644

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

PASS ISN/MNSA, EAP/J
PASS DOE FOR NE, MCGINNIS, WELLING NNSA

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PARM ENRG TRGY NRR MNUC PUNE IN JA KR
SUBJECT: THE CONVENTION ON SUPPLEMENTARY COMPENSATION FOR
NUCLEAR DAMAGE AND CIVIL NUCLEAR ENERGY COOPERATION

REF: TOKYO 572


1. (U) Summary: Department of Energy Deputy Assistant
Secretary (DAS) Edward McGinnis recently met with Japanese
Ministries to discuss the Convention on Supplementary
Compensation for Nuclear Damage (CSC) and cooperative civil
nuclear energy activities. Representatives of the
Contractor,s International Group for Nuclear Liability
(CIGNL) also attended the CSC discussions. On the CSC, GOJ
officials described progress made in resolution of Japan's
position and suggested prospects for GOJ's acceptance of the
CSC were improving, even though the GOJ's process could take
a year or even more. On civil nuclear energy cooperation,
GOJ officials expressed strong willingness to work with the
new U.S. administration's priorities in a number of areas, in
line with the GOJ position in recent energy-related
discussions between Prime Minister Aso and the President, and
separate discussions between Energy Secretary Chu and the
Chairman of the Japan Atomic Energy Commission and the
Minister of the Ministry of Economy Trade and Industry
(METI). METI provided McGinnis an informal but fairly
detailed proposal regarding potential areas of nuclear energy
cooperation while stressing METI,s willingness to be
flexible. End Summary.


2. (SBU) DAS McGinnis met with various Ministries and held
discusssions on various civil nuclear energy issues including
the CSC, U.S.-Japan cooperation, Sodium Cooled Fast Reactor
Cooperation, the Generation IV International Forum and India.

-------------- --------------
Convention on Supplementary Compensation for Nuclear Damage
-------------- --------------


3. (SBU) Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science
and Technology (MEXT) Director, Atomic Energy Division,
Research and Development Bureau Tomohiro Yamano told McGinnis
there has been progress on CSC within MEXT. MEXT is looking
at what it would take to join, and the level of interest in
Japan is rising. A MEXT Working Group will identify and sort
out CSC issues over the next 6 months or so and then engage
with METI, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA),and the

Cabinet Office (CAO),though this could still take years. Of
particular importance, Japan will have to modify its domestic
laws and determine how CSC would be funded. As such, the
Ministry of Finance (MOF) and the Ministry of Justice (MOJ)
have to be consulted and Yamano said these negotiations are
always difficult. Yamano asked about progress with Korea and
China on CSC as MEXT had heard the Koreans were not making
progress and in China it is unclear. CIGNL responded
discussions with Korea and China suggested they were both
looking at the CSC seriously.


4. (SBU) In a separate meeting, METI Director for Nuclear
Energy, Policy Planning Taizo Takahashi told McGinnis METI
recognizes the need for the CSC and that Hitachi has gone on
record with the GOJ in support of CSC. METI, like MEXT,
stated the MOJ needs to be consulted. In response to a
question as to whether MOJ was currently involved in the CSC
discussion, METI Nuclear Energy Planning Division Deputy
Director, Junichi Yokota, stated the MOJ won't participate at
this point, not because they are against CSC, but rather
because they have a very domestic orientation and are very
conservative about changes in their domestic law.


5. (SBU) MOFA Principle Deputy Director, International
Cooperation Division, Zentaro Naganuma stated that on CSC
MOFA has no official position but has seriously studied the
issue. He added it would help if DOE could send information
on CSC deliberations in the U.S. and the basis for how the
U.S. decided its approach to CSC funding.

--------------
Civil Nuclear Energy Cooperation
--------------


6. (SBU) GOJ Officials were broadly positive on recent
energy related communications with President Obama and
Secretary Chu and are seeking ways to continue cooperation.
Japan Atomic Energy Commission Chairman, Shunsuke Kondo, who
recently met with Secretary Chu, said his Minister (Seiko
Noda) was pleased with the readout of the meeting and
commented "lets take this opportunity to build." Kondo said
he is preparing a letter to Secretary Chu on a joint proposal
on continuation of cooperation. He added METI Minister
Nikai, who also spoke with Secretary Chu, was pleased with

his conversation.


7. (SBU) CAO Deputy Director General for Science and
Technology Policy Taizo Nishikawa, said the President and
Prime Minister discussed the Green New Deal and Japan is very
interested in the Green New Deal. He then rhetorically
raised the question of how nuclear energy would factor in to
the Green New Deal. Nishikawa related that Kondo had
mentioned Secretary Chu's stated continued commitment to
nuclear power with an emphasis on waste management and
disposal, and a preference for research on recycling rather
than proceeding into design and construction.


8. (SBU) METI's Takahashi referenced Prime Minister Aso's
meeting with President Obama on energy cooperation and he
handed out the Prime Minister's proposal. Takahashi further
stated Secretary Chu had mentioned specific areas of interest
for collaboration (advance waste forms, seismic analysis,
long term R&D on recycling) and Secretary Chu said we need to
increase our long term cooperation. He then handed out an
informal but fairly detailed proposal on potential areas of
civil nuclear energy cooperation, asking McGinnis to comment
on the proposal and add ideas. Takahashi further stated the
USG and GOJ need to highlight our enhanced cooperation and
that METI Minister Nikai is planning to visit DC in the March
to May timeframe.

-------------- --------------
Sodium Fast Reactor Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA)
-------------- --------------


9. (U) Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) Deputy Director
General, Advanced Nuclear System Research and Development
Directorate Yutaka Sagayama asked about prospects for the DOE
Office of Nuclear Energy Sodium Fast Reactor FOA. McGinnis
replied that DOE is focusing on R&D with regards to advanced
fuel cycle technologies and processes where it involves
recycling and fast reactors. McGinnis added that, as the
Secretary has indicated, we certainly expect to see our R&D
and fuel cycle cooperation with Japan continue.

--------------
Generation IV International Forum (GIF)
--------------


10. (SBU) Sagayama asked about the US view on forthcoming
changes in staffing of the GIF positions. He also stated his
view that it would serve well to have a Policy Director from
France and a Technical Director from the U.S. McGinnis
replied DOE does not have a final position but DOE is looking
at what countries are represented at what levels in GIF to
see if there is a need for other nations to hold the Vice
Chair positions. Sagayama replied that the GIF positions are
changing out in December so DOE will need to identify its
candidates in the summer.

--------------
Exports to India
--------------


11. (SBU) In response to a METI discussion on Japanese
nuclear exports to India, McGinnis stated the U.S. has had
significant visits to India (including GE and Westinghouse)
but a major question is what Japan would do in the event GE
or Westinghouse contracted to build a Nuclear Power Plant
with India. McGinnis asked whether Japan would feel it
necessary to conduct an export review on components from
Japan. Takahashi stated India is a sensitive issue but METI
wants to cooperate, India has agreed to exchange views and
METI staff is going to India in March. He further stated
METI is trying to address public opinion on the issue and
needs to argue, not on the basis of what benefits industry,
but rather on the issue of international security.


12. (SBU) Takahashi stated Japan's export control laws
require METI to conduct an export review of key parts as
defined by Japanese domestic law. Reactor vessels are
controlled by law but not turbines he added. McGinnis asked
Takahashi if he had a sense of what more Japan would need to
support cooperation beyond what was agreed to by the Nuclear
Suppliers Group (NSG). Takahashi stated the NSG conditions
do not address testing and that if India tested, Japan
cooperation would stop. Further discussions on nuclear
export control reported (reftel).


13. (U) DAS McGinnis cleared on this cable subsequent to his

departure.
ZUMWALT