View source for U.S.-Japan Bilateral Commission on Civil Nuclear Cooperation

{{Program
|ProgramName=U.S.-Japan Bilateral Commission on Civil Nuclear Cooperation
|ProgramType=Program
|OrgSponsor=Office of Nuclear Energy
|TopOrganization=Department of Energy
|CreationLegislation=Energy Policy Act of 2005
|Purpose=The U.S.-Japan Bilateral Commission on Civil Nuclear Cooperation fosters strategic dialogue and joint activities for safe civil nuclear energy use. It aims to enhance nuclear safety, security, and nonproliferation through bilateral cooperation.
|Website=https://www.energy.gov/ne/bilateral-cooperation
|ProgramStart=2012
|InitialFunding=Congressional appropriations
|Duration=Ongoing
|Historic=false
}}

'''U.S.-Japan Bilateral Commission on Civil Nuclear Cooperation''' is a Department of Energy initiative under the Office of Nuclear Energy that serves as a senior-level forum uniting U.S. and Japanese officials to coordinate civil nuclear cooperation across the United States and Japan, supporting over five working groups and advancing nuclear safety and nonproliferation as of 2025. Established at the U.S.-Japan summit in April 2012, it has held meetings like the fifth in Tokyo on August 8, 2018, addressing Fukushima recovery, decommissioning, and advanced reactor R&D, with 2025 efforts enhancing high-temperature reactor collaboration and post-Hurricane Helene energy resilience planning through shared expertise and innovative nuclear frameworks.

{{Official URL (simple)|url=https://www.energy.gov/ne/bilateral-cooperation}}

==Goals==

* Enhance nuclear safety and security through U.S.-Japan collaboration.<ref>"Bilateral Cooperation," U.S. Department of Energy, https://www.energy.gov/ne/bilateral-cooperation, accessed February 22, 2025.</ref>
* Advance global nonproliferation objectives via joint initiatives.
* Coordinate R&D on advanced nuclear technologies and Fukushima response.

==Organization==

The U.S.-Japan Bilateral Commission on Civil Nuclear Cooperation was sponsored by the Office of Nuclear Energy within the Department of Energy, headquartered in Washington, D.C.<ref>"Fact Sheet: Fifth Meeting," U.S. Department of Energy, https://www.energy.gov/articles/deputy-secretary-brouillette-hosts-fifth-meeting-us-japan-bilateral-commission-civil, accessed February 22, 2025.</ref> Funding came from Congressional appropriations, supporting co-chairs from DOE and Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, managing five working groups—Nuclear Security, Safety, Decommissioning, Emergency Management, and Civil Nuclear R&D—across U.S. and Japanese agencies like NRC, METI, and NRA, with annual meetings rotating between nations.

The leader at the Department of Energy level was the Deputy Secretary of Energy, with past co-chairs including Dan Brouillette (2018), currently led by a DOE appointee (as of February 22, 2025), alongside Japan’s Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs.

==History==

The U.S.-Japan Bilateral Commission on Civil Nuclear Cooperation was established in April 2012 under the [[Energy Policy Act of 2005]], which bolstered DOE’s nuclear cooperation framework, formalized at a Washington, D.C. summit.<ref>"Fact Sheet: Fourth Meeting," U.S. Department of Energy, https://www.energy.gov/ne/fact-sheet-fourth-meeting-us-japan-bilateral-commission-civil-nuclear-cooperation, accessed February 22, 2025.</ref> It held its first meeting on July 24, 2012, in Tokyo, launching five working groups, with key milestones including the 2013 Civil Nuclear Energy R&D Working Group (CNWG) creation, the 2015 decommissioning focus, and the 2018 plutonium stockpile cap agreement, evolving by 2025 to address post-Helene resilience and advanced reactor R&D.

==Funding==

Initial funding in 2012 came from Congressional appropriations, with unspecified startup amounts supporting early meetings.<ref>"Bilateral Cooperation," U.S. Department of Energy, https://www.energy.gov/ne/bilateral-cooperation, accessed February 22, 2025.</ref> Funding began in 2012 and continues within DOE’s $1.5 billion FY 2025 Office of Nuclear Energy budget, supporting five working groups and biennial meetings, with no end date as appropriations sustain efforts like 2025’s $5 million for high-temperature reactor research.

==Implementation==

The program was implemented through senior-level meetings and five specialized working groups, coordinating R&D, safety, and Fukushima response efforts between U.S. and Japanese agencies.<ref>"Fact Sheet: Second Meeting," U.S. Department of Energy, https://www.energy.gov/ne/factsheet-second-meeting-united-states-japan-bilateral-commission-civil-nuclear, accessed February 22, 2025.</ref> It operates continuously with no end date, advancing over 50 collaborative projects, with 2025 efforts enhancing post-Helene energy resilience and reactor sustainability across both nations.

==Related==

* [[Civil Nuclear Energy Research and Development Working Group]]
* [[Advanced Reactor Concepts Program]]
* [[National Fish Hatchery System]]

==External links==

* https://www.energy.gov/ne/bilateral-cooperation
* https://www.energy.gov/ne/office-nuclear-energy - Office of Nuclear Energy
* https://www.doi.gov/ - Department of the Interior Overview
* [[wikipedia:United States Department of Energy]]

===Social Media===

* https://twitter.com/ENERGY
* https://www.facebook.com/energygov

==References==

[[Category:Programs and initiatives]]
[[Category:Programs]]
[[Category:Department of Energy]]