Japan urges nuke plants to prepare for decommissioning era

Japan's nuclear policy-setting body adopted a report Monday saying the country is entering an era of massive nuclear plant decommissioning, urging plant operators to plan ahead to lower safety risks and costs requiring decades and billions of dollars.

Twenty-four commercial reactors or 40 per cent of Japan's total are designated for or are being decommissioned.

Among them are four reactors at the Fukushima Dai-ichi plant that were severely damaged by the massive 2011 earthquake and tsunami that struck northeastern Japan.

The annual nuclear white paper, adopted by the Japan Atomic Energy Commission, urges utilities to learn from US and European examples, especially those of Germany, France and Britain.

Japan hasn't yet completed the decommissioning of any reactors and doesn't have concrete plans for the final disposal of radioactive waste.

"Taking into consideration further increase of nuclear facilities that will be decommissioned, new technology and systems need to be developed in order to carry out the tasks efficiently and smoothly," the report said.

"It's a whole new stage that we have to proceed to and tackle."