Japan Nuclear Budget To Boost Spending On Seismic Safety
Written by NucNet
Wednesday, 16 January 2008
16 Jan (NucNet): Japan's expenditure on nuclear-related activities for the new financial year includes a major increase in spending to improve seismic safety measures, the government has decided.
Japan's cabinet approved the fiscal 2008 budget, which takes effect on 1 April, at a meeting on 24 December 2007, according to the Japan Atomic Industrial Forum (JAIF).
Japan's Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency, part of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), was allocated a 42 percent increase to 11.4 billion Japanese yen (JPY) (about 104 million US dollars, 72 million euros) "for the accelerated implementation of seismic safety evaluations".
JAIF said the allocation will help "strengthen seismic safety and disaster-prevention measures" following the earthquake which struck Japan in July 2007 and led to the safe automatic shut-down of three units at the Kashiwazaki Kariwa nuclear power plant.
The total nuclear-related budget for METI for fiscal 2008 is JPY 181.6 billion, 12 percent higher than the ministry's actual request and 2.3% above the budget for the current fiscal year.
JAIF said the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) has been awarded JPY 261.4 billion for its nuclear-related budget, 8.7 percent more than requested but down 1.9 percent from the current budget.
The combined nuclear-related budgets of METI and MEXT amount to about the same level as fiscal 2007.
Other budget highlights include:
. JPY 29.0 billion (an increase of 8.7 percent) for fast breeder reactor cycle technology, deemed a "national core technology";
. JPY 130.2 billion for "co-prosperity" efforts (grants and subsidies) for communities with nuclear-related facilities and their surrounding areas;
. JPY 33.5 billion for ensuring nuclear safety and disaster-prevention measures and their enhancement.
This report was compiled for NucNet by John Shepherd.
