Office of the Historian

351. Telegram From the Department of State to Secretary of State Vance1

Washington, August 24, 1977, 2116Z

Tosec 90128. 202154. Subject: Tokai Mura Decision.

1. Following is text of memorandum for the Secretary from Dr. Zbigniew Brzezinski. Begin quote. The President has considered U.S. policy options with respect to the Tokai reprocessing plant issue, and instructs the U.S. negotiator to seek early resolution of the Tokai issue with Japanese authorities along the line of State’s proposed model agreement (attached).2 In particular, the agreement should include these essential elements:

2. (1) Japanese government acceptance of these undertakings:

—Public agreement that recycling in light water reactors is premature.

—Active support for INFCE and other U.S. non-proliferation objectives.

—Limitation of any operation of Tokai involving plutonium separation to meet actual plutonium needs for advanced reactor development.

—Postponement of any major moves toward a follow-on 1500 ton reprocessing plant during INFCE.

—Consultations with U.S. regarding the results of INFCE and the appropriateness of multinational alternatives to a national reprocessing facility as well as spent fuel storage possibilities.

—Affording the IAEA maximum opportunity, including continuous inspection, to apply safeguards during experimental operations on Tokai.

3. (2) Approval for the start-up of the Tokai facility for reprocessing in the scheduled mode, but with a limited amount of irradiated fuel, coupled with Japanese agreement to undertake a mutually acceptable major coprocessing experiment subsequently.

4. (3) The negotiator is further authorized to seek, but not insist upon, the addition of advanced safeguards testing and the requirement for a blended product. End quote.

Christopher
  1. Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, D770306–0438. Secret; Niact Immediate; Exdis. Drafted by Stephen Ecton (EA/J) (text as received by the White House); cleared by Eric Fleischer (S/SO); and approved by Robert Oakley (EA). Vance was in the People’s Republic of China August 20–26.↩
  2. Not found.↩