NEA Holds Symposium on IDKM for Waste Management — Hosted by NUMO

The OECD Nuclear Energy Agency (OECD/NEA) held a symposium on October 7 in Yokohama, Japan, under the theme "Information, Data and Knowledge Management (IDKM) for Radioactive Waste and Geological Disposal."

The event brought together around 100 participants from Japan and abroad, including engineers, researchers, regulators, and policymakers, who discussed the importance of long-term information management related to geological disposal of high-level radioactive waste and shared national initiatives in this field.

In 2019, the NEA established the Working Committee and Expert Group on IDKM to address the preservation and transmission of records, knowledge, and memory across generations in radioactive waste disposal-alongside ensuring technical and safety performance of repositories. This was the first NEA symposium on this theme to be held in Asia, with Japan's Nuclear Waste Management Organization (NUMO) serving as the host institution.

In his opening remarks, NEA Director-General William D. Magwood IV noted that "in response to climate change and the energy crisis, many member countries are re-evaluating the role of nuclear power." He added that the global nuclear landscape is entering a new phase, and emphasized that ensuring robust, long-term management of information on radioactive waste across generations is essential to building public understanding and confidence in disposal programs, particularly as new reactor technologies advance.

NUMO President YAMAGUCHI Akira highlighted the importance of not only preserving information but maintaining it in a form that future stakeholders can understand and practically use. He expressed hope that the knowledge and collaborations gained through the symposium would lead to concrete actions.

The session featured presentations on NEA's international initiatives as well as the current status of radioactive waste management and related R&D activities in Japan. Professor WASHIO Takashi, Dean of the Faculty of Business Data Science at Kansai University, also delivered a lecture on the potential application of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies in the nuclear industry.

The symposium runs for three days, concluding on October 9.