lnspection of Packages and Loading before Transport of Nuclear Fuel Materials

In Japan the domestic transpOrtation of nuclear fuels. such as uranium fluoride. uranium oxide, fuel assembly and spent fuel. shows steady increase in frequency and quantity with increase of electricity generated by nuclear pawer. For safe transpart of these nuclear fuels. a domestic law; the Law for the Regulations of Nuclear Source Material, Nuclear Fuel Material and Reactors(the Regulation Law). stipulates that before land transport of nuclear fuel material with the radioactivity in more than a definite quantity, users et al. shall be subject to the confirmation of safety on package and loading method by Prime Minister and Minister of Transport~) respectively. So far. all the inspections had been performed by the government. but the provision added on May 27, 1986 to the above-mentioned law. also prescribed that an organization designated by Prime Minister may carry out a part of the inspections for packages using packagings which comply with the definite standards(certified packagings) and an organization designated by MOT may perform a part of the inspections for loading of packages using cer t i f i ed packag i ngs. Nuclear Safety Technology Center(NUSTEC) was designated as agencies of designated package confirmation and designated loading method confirmation by Science and Technology Agency (STA) and MOT respectively in 1987. Since the year 1988. NUSTEC has been carrying out inspections for confirmation of safety on packages and loading methods of nuclear fuels etc. on behalf of the government. except the inspections for packages containing special nuclear materials like plutonium performed by the government.