Nuclear Power Eyed for Japan’s 2nd-Round Investment in U.S.

Tokyo, Feb. 20 (Jiji Press)–Japan and the United States are considering next-generation nuclear power reactor construction as a strong candidate for the second round of Japan’s investments in and loans to the United States totaling 550 billion dollars as part of the two nations’ tariff agreement, it was learned Friday. The two governments will continue discussions on selecting multiple projects, including the reactor construction, keeping in mind the possibility of making an announcement during Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s planned visit to the United States in March, informed sources said. The U.S. government is pushing for the construction of multiple next-generation reactors, apparently aiming to secure sufficient electricity supplies to promote the development of artificial intelligence technology while helping curb electricity bills, according to the sources. The Japanese side is carefully assessing risks involved because the hurdle to obtaining permission for nuclear reactor construction is higher than for gas-fired thermal power plant construction, a person involved in the bilateral negotiations said. On Wednesday, three projects worth a total of 36 billion dollars–the construction of a thermal power plant and a deep-sea crude oil export facility, and the production of synthetic diamonds–were announced for Japan’s first-round investment in the United States as part of the tariff deal. At a press conference Friday, Japanese trade minister Ryosei Akazawa, who is in charge of negotiations with the U.S. side, said that he is working to make Takaichi’s U.S. visit fruitful while stopping short of mentioning specifics about potential second-round projects and the timing of making an announcement. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]