Nuclear non-proliferation and the management of nuclear materials have emerged as critical security challenges globally, particularly in the context of international efforts toward the denuclearization of North Korea as well as the 2018 U.S. decision to withdraw from the nuclear deal with Iran. Currently, Japan possesses 47 tons of plutonium with no immediate use, making the formulation of strategies for the management of nuclear materials a major issue for the country. As the only country in the world to have suffered attacks by nuclear weapons and also as a nation that is at the forefront of peaceful use of nuclear energy, Japan has a responsibility to spearhead development of methods to support nuclear non-proliferation and appropriately manage nuclear materials.

Against this backdrop, this project aims to highlight the role the Japanese government can play in nuclear non-proliferation and the peaceful use of nuclear energy, with outcomes to include recommendations informed by domestic circumstances and global perspectives.

Yuki Kobayashi