The Nuclear Regulation Authority in Japan has approved the restart of a research reactor, making it the first government facility research reactor to pass new safety standards, Japanese media reports.
The NRA approved the restart of the Japan Atomic Energy Agency research reactor at the Static Experiment Critical Facility in the Ibaraki Prefecture on the east coast.
Operational checks will be required before the reactor is operational.
A key issue in the approval involved the storage of MOX nuclear fuel which is illegal to store in Japan without an approved purpose, given the point that plutonium is a potential component in nuclear weapons. The Japan Atomic Energy Agency was required to stipulate that the MOX fuel on site would be used for peaceful purposes.