The Role and Objectives of the Peaceful Use of Nuclear Energy
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THE ROLE AND OBJECTIVES OF THE PEACEFUL USE OF NUCLEAR ENERGY MASAYOSHI HAYASHI Commissioner, Atomic Energy Commission, SHP Ohtemachi Bldg. 6-1, 1-Chome, Ohtemachi Chiyoda-Ku, Tokyo, 100 JAPAN It is a great pleasure for me to deliver the keynote address this morning, opening the 18th International Symposium on the Scientific Basis for Nuclear Waste Management. On behalf of the Atomic Energy Commission of Japan, I would like to welcome all of you, particularly those who have travelled across the ocean to attend this symposium. The address I will deliver this morning is entitled 'The Role and Objectives of the Peaceful Use of Nuclear Energy". In June of this year, the Atomic Energy Commission of Japan revised the "Long-Term Program for Research, Development and Utilization of Nuclear Energy". This program will serve an as overall guideline for the nation's nuclear energy development for the next few years. According to the background of this latest guideline, I would like to discuss, from my own perspective, two topics. The role of the peaceful use of nuclear energy as we approach the 21st century and the disposal of nuclear wastes which is of prime interest for all of us. As we approach the turn of the century, it is safe to say that the world is changing rapidly in many respects, not least politically and economically, and that a new international order is being created. What we should strive for in the 21st century is to create a society in which all of us can enjoy peace and prosperity in our lives, while maintaining harmony with the natural environment. To achieve this goal, it is very important, in my opinion, to
promote international collaborative efforts encompassing various ethnic, religious and cultural backgrounds. I also believe that the same collaborative approach must be adopted
in the development and utilization of nuclear energy. Energy is inevitably a key issue when we come to consider our lifestyle in the next century. The development of nuclear energy is of crucial importance because of its considerable potential for solving the world-scale energy problems we are facing today. In this connection, the "Long-Term Program for Research and Development and Utilization of Nuclear Energy" assigns three roles to the development of this nuclear energy source. The first role is to build a society in which people can enjoy a lifestyle supported by an adequate supply of material resources. Today, we can say that nuclear power generation has overcome its fundamental problems in the technical and economic arena and has come to be recognized as a stable and reliable source of energy. Furthermore, it is expected to play an even more important role in the future in providing a larger component of the total energy requirements. Similarly, uses of radioactive materials in the fields of medicine, agriculture, industry and the life sciences will continue to be of prime importance as their contribution to our everyday lives becomes more significant.
Mat. Res. Soc. Symp. Proc. Vol. 353 0 1995 Materials Research Societ
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