Strengthening Nuclear Partnerships: U.S. Agreements with U.K., South Korea, and Japan
The U.S. government, as part of its policy of revitalizing nuclear energy, has been very active in recent months, signing nuclear energy-related agreements with some of its top allies: the United Kingdom, South Korea, and Japan. The agreement with the United Kingdom will fast-track civil nuclear deployment and streamline the regulatory review for new reactors. The U.K. has made a clear national commitment to the expansion of nuclear energy and is seeking to deploy both large and small reactors. The United States and South Korea will engage in discussions on revising their nuclear cooperation framework agreement to include sensitive new areas such as uranium enrichment, spent-fuel reprocessing, and potential submarine-nuclear technology sharing. These three issues have been priorities for South Korea for years. The U.S.-Japan memorandum of cooperation covers nuclear fusion, advanced reactor research and development, and the critical minerals supply chain. New Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is pushing forward on the re-start of reactors that were shut down after the Fukushima nuclear accident. She views nuclear energy as an important element in Japan’s energy and strategic independence. These deals highlight the United States’ renewed commitment to strengthening its relationships with key allies on nuclear energy, as well as its commitment to counteracting nuclear technology exports from Russia and China.
Mackenzie Hansen, Della Ratta Fellow, Partnership for Global Security
Patrick Kendall, Program Director, Partnership for Global Security
