Nuclear power is expected as an important base-load power source contributing to the stable supply of energy over a long period of time and a leading means for the carbon-dioxide-emission reduction against global warming. Nowadays, the use of nuclear power is going to be expanded mainly in Asian countries. Japan, as an advanced country in the use of nuclear energy, is expected to lead peaceful use of nuclear technology in the world. Especially, it is important to develop the technology which improves the reliability and efficiency of a nuclear reactor and the technology which reduces toxicities of radioactive wastes. In order to advance and realize these challenging technologies, we are developing 1) high-quality nuclear data set, 2) reactor physics and nuclear code systems, and 3) nuclear sensing technologies.
To execute these researches, we cooperate positively with universities, research institutes and industry at home and abroad. We aim at meeting various needs from society by our advanced technologies related to nuclear data and reactor engineering as a center of excellence, including education of students and young nuclear researchers and engineers.

Research for Nuclear Data (Nuclear Data Center)
Nuclear data are fundamental information concerning reactions between neutrons and nuclei, and radioactive decay of unstable nuclei. The nuclear data are indispensable in order to advance technologies of nuclear engineering and evaluate the effects of radiations. Our group works for developments on advanced measurements technologies and theoretical prediction methods seeking for the most reliable value of the nuclear data. We also make databases of the evaluated nuclear data in an easy-to-use format and provide them to domestic and international users.

Research for Reactor Physics (Research Group for Reactor Physics and Standard Nuclear Code System)
Computer simulation adopting the nuclear data is essential in order to evaluate accurately the neutronic characteristics of the nuclear reactor, such as the conditions to archive the criticality of the nuclear reactor and the behavior of the neutrons which induce the nuclear reactions in the reactor. Our group tackles the development of the computer simulation technology for the neutronic evaluation to support the research and development of the nuclear energy.

Research for Nuclear Sensing (Research Group for Nuclear Sensing)
Nowadays, the demands for precise nondestructive analysis methods for nuclear materials are growing, because of the existence of highly radioactive nuclear materials in the nuclear industries and the rising threats of nuclear terrorisms. In order to fulfill the demands, we are developing the advanced methods to measure neutrons and/or gamma rays emitted spontaneously from or in neutron-induced reactions with nuclear materials, as well as in the forefront of sensing technologies for visualizing/analyzing the results of the measurements. Our fruitful achievements are being promoted for extensive use to interdisciplinary research in fundamental science as well as to industrial developments.

Jul. 1, 2015