In the long history of cooperation between France and Japan on nuclear issues, one should not forget MOX fuel which contains enriched uranium and plutonium. In October 1999, MOX shipments were transported by sea between Cherbourg and Japan. The Pacific Teal delivered MOX fuel, in the port of Okuma, which was destined for Fukushima, the very site where the nuclear reactors exploited by Tepco are in a state of crisis. The October 1999 delivery took place a couple of hours after a major accident on the Tokai-Mura nuclear site, today Tokai-Mura is also affected by the domino events following the earthquake and tsunami. In 1999, the Japanese government reduced communication on the subject and played down the effects on the workers 2 of whom were killed after exposure to radiation.
Robin des Bois is asking the French Government and AREVA, the producer of MOX fuel to stop the planned delivery to Japan scheduled for the coming weeks. During crisis phase, the rejects from a reactor filled with MOX are more radioactive and more toxic than those from a reactor filled with enriched uranium, notably because of the plutonium content.