Vietnam-Japan Nuclear Power Cooperation Seminar in Hanoi

Vietnam-Japan Nuclear Power Cooperation Seminar was held in Hanoi, Vietnam, at September 16,2009, under the sponsorship of Ministry of Industries and Trade (MOST) of Vietnam and Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) of Japan. VIPs and nuclear specialists in Vietnam from the Party, the Government, and the Ninh Thuan Province, where first nuclear power plant is planed, has joined this seminar and, from Japan side, the ambassador and people from METI, nuclear related organizations, suppliers and trade companies are also attended. MOST has presented the plan and challenges in the long-term power supply in Vietnam and the nuclear power projects, while Japanese members have presented the outline of nuclear power cooperation between Japan and Vietnam since 1990s, the economy and the necessity of nuclear power, the roadmap for first nuclear power plant construction and the current nuclear power technology. Questions about the future improvements for Vietnam’s nuclear power plant construction were asked by the Vietnam side, and the Japan side has replied properly based on the experiences in Japan. In the workshop followed by the seminar, Japanese nuclear experts have responded to the questions from the experts in Vietnam, such as how the project formation should be and some concerns about nuclear fuel supply. The seminar was of particularly high interest to the Vietnam people and it was reported in the national TV and radio programs in Vietnam as well as several national and local news papers and senior government officials evaluated this seminar highly, saying that it was held in good timing and contributed to remind the Japanese cooperation in nuclear power. Through this seminar and workshop, Vietnam people have increased their awareness toward nuclear power and they have advanced a steady step to the first nuclear power project.