INTRODUCING STRENGTHENED SAFEGUARDS SYSTEM IN JAPAN

Japan has been accepting the IAEA safeguards since beginning of its development on peaceful uses of nuclear energy. At the beginning Japan received safeguards inspectors from the USA and/or Canada based on the Bilateral Agreements. Then, IAEA’s safeguards based on INFCIRC/66/Rev.2 had been applied to Japanese facilities. When the Agency’s safeguards under the NPT have been applied to Japan, which was an important evolution in the international safeguards, Japan’s national safeguards system has been improved significantly. After 20 years of experiences, international community made another evolution of international safeguards. A new Strengthened Safeguards System would require another thought on the efficiency and effectiveness of national system (SSAC). This paper examines present Japan’s efforts to make it possible of early acceptance of the Protocol ( INFCIRC/540) by the Japanese Government, e.g. reexamination of Japanese non-proliferation and safeguards policy by the Atomic Energy Commission, close coordination between the IAEA and Japanese Authority, strengthening Japanese SSAC, technological development, etc.