30-year cooperation between US-Japan in area of nuclear nonproliferation and nuclear security

30-year cooperation between US-Japan in area of nuclear nonproliferation and nuclear securityHirofumi Tomikawa1), Yoko Kawakubo1), Naoko Noro1), Masato Hori1), Yosuke Naoi1)Kathryn Glynn2), Brian Abeyta2), Deborah Dale3), Michael Browne3), </i>Adrienne LaFleur3),Howard Menlove3), Kevin Veal2)1) Japan Atomic Energy Agency2) Department of Energy, 3) Los Alamos National Laboratory<u>Abstract</u>Cooperative activities for nuclear safeguards between the United States and Japan has continued over 30 years since the agreement between U.S. Department of Energy (USDOE) and Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) was signed in 1988. Japan is the only non-nuclear-weapon country with fully covered nuclear fuel cycle facilities. This has posed unique challenges to the international safeguards system. The cooperative activities has played a central role in developing reliable safeguards systems at the JAEA facilities, improving efficiency and effectiveness, which contributed to IAEA’s broader conclusion for Japan and the transition to the integrated safeguards started in 2004. The cooperative activities in the first decade was mainly for establishing efficient safeguards systems, such as unattended mode NDA systems for largely automated plutonium fuel fabrication facility, dual C/S and remote monitoring system for difficult access area. In next decade, the cooperation was focused on solving safeguards challenges emerging at bulk handling facilities, such as reducing MUF by developing new NDA systems. Recently, a variety of cooperation has been implemented for comprehensive support for IAEA safeguards, strengthening international nuclear security. The collaborative activities have been expanded to the area of human resource development and nuclear forensics.USDOE's National Nuclear Security Agency and JAEA co-organized the event in commemoration of the 30th anniversary of USDOE-JAEA cooperation in Vienna as a side event of the 62th IAEA General Conference. The contributions of the US-Japan collaborative activities were able to share with IAEA and international attendees. In addition, a panel discussion as the working level event was also jointly held and approaches and direction of the future cooperation were discussed.This paper reviews this outstanding long bilateral cooperation and presents how the collaborative activities contribute IAEA safeguards implementation and strengthening nuclear security. The future direction and an approach to sustain the collaboration are also introduced.