Japan-Russian Federation Joint Efforts for Disarmament and Environmental Protection

New Initiative by the Government of Japan in the Areas of Assistance for Denuclearization, Disarmament and Non-proliferation

29 May 1999

Recognizing that preventing the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, in particular ensuring the safe processing and disposal of nuclear weapons in Russia, is a common issue facing the international community, the Government of Japan has since 1993 provided US$70 million to the Committee for Cooperation to Assist the Destruction of Nuclear Weapons Reduced in the Russian Federation (the Committee) and has undertaken a program to assist the denuclearization of Russia. Japan intends to implement, in consultation with the Government of the Russian Federation, further cooperative measures in the following sectors:

I. Plan for Dismantling of Decommissioned Nuclear Submarines in the Far East Region

Safe dismantling of decommissioned Russian nuclear submarines in the Russian Far East is an important and urgent international task, not only from the perspective of arms control and disarmament, but also of protecting the environment of the Pan-Japan Sea region. As such, properly responding to this issue is of great significance to the security and prosperity of not only Japan and the Russian Federation, but also of the entire Asia-Pacific region.

The completion in the near future of the Suzuran liquid radioactive waste processing facility constructed in the outskirts of Vladivostok, using funds contributed by the Government of Japan to the Committee, will greatly contribute to processing liquid radioactive waste material from decommissioned Russian nuclear submarines.

Regarding cooperation for the dismantlement and disposal of decommissioned Russian nuclear submarines in the Far East, the Government of Japan and the Government of the Russian Federation have shared the view to conduct project studies in the following fields:

A project to extract spent nuclear fuel from nuclear submarines which have been moored for a long period of time and transfer it to containers for shipment, the construction of storage facilities for spent nuclear fuel at the Zvezda Shipyard, and the reconstruction of a railway between Bolshoy Kamen and Smolyaninovo.
A project to dismantle a "Victor" grade nuclear submarine at the Zvezda Shipyard.
A project to convert a tanker, "Pinega," for use in transporting the containers holding spent nuclear fuel extracted from nuclear submarines to the railway terminal.

II. Plan to Promote the Conversion of the Military Resources to the Private Sector

Based on the understanding that the promotion of the conversion of the military resources to the private sector in Russia contributes not only to advancing disarmament in Russia, but also to structural reform of the Russian economy by effectively utilizing industrial facilities and human resources, the Government of Japan will implement the following measures:

1. Expanding Assistance for Re-education of Military Personnel

The Government of Japan has sponsored seminars through the Japan Centers in Vladivostok and Khabarovsk to assist retired military personnel and retired military reserve personnel to find jobs in private sector industries in the Russian Far East. Furthermore, some of the seminar participants have received training in Japan. Cooperation in this area will be enhanced by expanding the regions covered and the number of participants attending such seminars.

2. Actively Using the International Science and Technology Centre

Recognizing that in order to achieve a true transition to the market based economy in Russia it is vital that scientists involved in weapons of mass destruction be provided the opportunity to redirect their talents to peaceful activities, and that they be able to support themselves financially, the Government of Japan will continue to actively support the efforts of the International Science and Technology Centre, which has played an important role in achieving that.

III. Plan for Management and Disposition of Russian Surplus Weapons Grade Plutonium by Using the BN600 Reactor

Research cooperation on burning of MOX fuel deriving from Russian surplus weapons grade plutonium by the Russian BN600 fast reactor has been conducted between the related institutions in both Japan and the Russian Federation. (Radiation tests on vibro-packed fuel in the BN600 fast reactor and the preparation of data on the MOX core characteristics of the BN600 fast reactor.) In order to advance the research cooperation and technical cooperation on the fast reactor to contribute to the disposition of Russian surplus weapons grade plutonium, the Government of Japan will continue to play its role in international considerations among the G8 and other fora, and will continue to consider further possible cooperation.

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