Japan, Vietnam restart nuclear tech talks in September

The governments of Vietnam and Japan will restart discussions in September on the provision of Japanese nuclear power technology to the Southeast Asian nation.

Government officials from both nations are scheduled to meet again on Sept. 8 and 9 in Tokyo to work out specific details of the nuclear technology deal, reports The Mainichi Daily News.

The bilateral negotiations for the provision of nuclear reactors from a Japanese group of companies — already approved by Hanoi — were halted in the wake of the March 11 Great East Japan Earthquake and ensuing Fukushima nuclear crisis.

Vietnam approved the deal to contract the Japanese group of companies to provide and build nuclear power facilities at a Japan-Vietnam leaders’ summit in October 2010. At the time, the Japanese side had stressed the country could offer the latest nuclear power technology, training, and financing via the Japan Bank of International Cooperation. The meetings set for this September are expected to address the concrete details of Japanese assistance to Vietnam, the project structure, and investment portions of the parties involved.

Japanese exports of nuclear power technology came into question following the meltdowns at the Fukushima No. 1 Nuclear Power Plant and Prime Minister Naoto Kan’s subsequent push to shift the country away from dependence on nuclear power plants. However, the Cabinet decided on Aug. 5 to continue export negotiations — most notably with Vietnam and Turkey — that were already under way. The most recent Diet session, however, failed to approve the Vietnam deal, and the government is now aiming to get the deal passed in the extraordinary session set for this autumn.