hmm, yes, well, now that a number of ancient reactor permit extensions are in place, G7 "carbon-neutral" resource prospecting is accelerating, and approved Fukushima waste water disposal slithered past IPEF "guard rails", the Mainichi reports anudder Kishidanomic innovation.

Japanese nuclear research agency to export domestically 'useless' uranium ore [and ion-exchange resin], 20 Aug 125 mt

This effectively means that the Japanese government-funded research and development agency will be taking nuclear-related materials that have no use in Japan and discarding them overseas.
[...]
As a general rule, nuclear waste must be disposed of at the location where it was created, meaning that taking it outside Japan could violate international regulations. Under such circumstances, the idea of commissioning another party to refine The Materials emerged.

The JAEA signed a 170-million-yen (roughly $1.24 million) contract with a subsidiary of Tokyo-based trading house Sojitz Corp. in December 2021 to handle projects including shipment of The Materials overseas. The transportation is scheduled to be completed by February 2023. A U.S. company is seen as a likely candidate for the work, but no agreement has been finalized.
[...]
Hiroaki Koide, who served as an associate professor at the former Kyoto University Research Reactor Institute (now the university's Institute for Integrated Radiation and Nuclear Science), said, "Having collected uranium ore only to find there is no way to use it is a typical example of the overly optimistic attitude from those in charge of nuclear power administration. The authorities go ahead with projects based on optimistic forecasts, and once the projects fail, they pour in taxpayers' money to deal with them." He continued, "If there is no use for the uranium ore, that means it's garbage, and officials should follow the rule that nuclear waste must be processed where it is created."

PBP (2022 NGO): US, UK, NZ, JP, EU
IPEF (2022 NGO): US, AU, JP, IN, NZ, KR, ID*, BN*, MY*, PH*, SG*, TH*, VN*
PIC Forum (1971 NGO): Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, French Polynesia, Kiribati, Nauru, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Republic of Marshall Islands, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, Tokelau, Vanuatu, AU

Japan's plutonium stockpile climbs to 46.1 tons in 2020, first rise in 3 years

Plutonium is extracted from spent nuclear fuel generated at nuclear plants, for the purpose of recycling. However, the international community has expressed concerns over Japan's large plutonium stockpile, saying it could be converted into nuclear weapons.
[...]
Plutonium is mixed with uranium to produce mixed oxide (MOX) fuel for use at nuclear power plants. However, none of the nuclear plants in Japan used MOX fuel in 2020. As a result, the domestic stockpile remained at the same level as the previous year, at roughly 8.9 tons. ...

QUAD (2007 mil): US, AU, JP, IN (2021), KR* (2022)
supra fweedom and fiefdom opportunities