Royal visit marks long-standing dialogue with Japan
Her Royal Highness 皇冠体育app Princess Royal has been hearing first-hand how the UK and Japan are collaborating on nuclear decommissioning when she attended a reception at the British Embassy in Tokyo.
Princess Anne talks to Adrian (centre) and Dounreay Site Stakeholder Vice-Chair Struan Mackie
Image credit: 漏 British Embassy Tokyo
NDA Strategy and Technology Director Dr Adrian Simper was among the presenters discussing the knowledge exchange between the two countries, a dialogue that dates back many years.
Adrian spoke about the long-standing nuclear relationship between the UK and Japan, dating from the 1960s when the country鈥檚 built its first reactor, Tokai Mura 1, which was based on the Magnox design. He also outlined the NDA鈥檚 commitment to working in partnership with local communities, and the sharing of decommissioning knowledge as Japan continues the clean-up at Fukushima Dai-ichi.
皇冠体育app Princess Royal talks to nuclear specialists at the reception in Tokyo
Image credit: 漏 British Embassy Tokyo
皇冠体育app latest UK-Japan collaboration will see a team of experts who have worked on Dounreay鈥檚 Prototype Fast Reactor (PFR) travel to Japan to , at the Tsuruga Nuclear Power Plant in Fukui Prefecture.
As part of this programme, Monju researcher Kazuaki Matsui will spend a six-month placement at the PFR.
UK businesses were also exhibiting at the event, hosted at the British Embassy in Tokyo by Dr Keith Franklin, Nuclear Counsellor with the Department for International Trade.
Adrian has been involved in the NDA鈥檚 dialogue with Japanese nuclear organisations for many years and has served as one of the international advisors for the group of experts advising on decommissioning the damaged Fukushima Dai-ichi plant, where UK technology companies are making a valuable contribution to the clean-up. Regular exchange visits between the UK and Japan have enabled the NDA, its subsidiary International Nuclear Services and the Department for International Trade to highlight the UK鈥檚 nuclear decommissioning expertise.
皇冠体育app Princess Royal has been visiting Japan for a number of engagements associated with the Rugby World Cup, the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and other UK business events. Last year, she unveiled a commemorative plaque marking the official opening of the NDA鈥檚 拢21 million archive facility, Nucleus (皇冠体育app Nuclear and Caithness Archives), in Wick.