The NEA held the third edition of the Symposium on Information, Data and Knowledge Management (IDKM) for Radioactive Waste on 7-10 October 2025 in Yokohama, Japan. Hosted by the Nuclear Waste Management Organization of Japan (NUMO), the event gathered experts, policy and decision makers and interested community groups.
In his opening remarks, NEA Director-General William D. Magwood, IV highlighted that a resurgence of interest in many countries to build new nuclear power plants and invest in small modular reactors (SMRs) and other new technologies requires effective knowledge management for radioactive waste and decommissioning. “We need to invest more effort in the preservation of knowledge within not only the nuclear energy sector, but in management of radioactive waste,” said Director-General Magwood. “Knowledge management is a critical element of long-term safety. Without robust knowledge management systems, even the most technologically advanced systems can fail.”
Opening remarks by Akira Yamaguchi, NUMO President (left), and NEA Director-General William D. Magwood, IV (right)
Over three days, Symposium participants discussed stakeholder needs and expectations for information, data and knowledge management, effective strategies, how best to structure information in a safety case, and the challenges and opportunities related to new technologies. NEA activities in all these fields were also presented.
The third IDKM Symposium featured a variety of formats: panel discussions, keynote speeches, interactive group work and poster displays
The event highlighted knowledge management and archiving examples, as well as long-term awareness preservation techniques from Austria, Canada, Czechia, France, Germany, Japan, Sweden and Switzerland.
Additionally, meeting participants made a site visit to Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station on 10 October 2025.
During the IDKM Symposium, Director-General Magwood also engaged with Japanese media on the topics of radioactive waste management and decommissioning.
Media interview with Director-General Magwood
Site visit to the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station
During the mission to Japan, the Director-General visited the Rokkasho Nuclear Fuel Reprocessing Plant, the first commercial reprocessing plant in Japan and met with Naohiro Masuda, Executive President and CEO of Japan Nuclear Fuel Ltd. (JNFL),. The plant is scheduled to be completed by first quarter 2027.
Visit to the Rokkasho Nuclear Fuel Reprocessing Plant
The mission also included meetings with Dr Shinsuke Yamanaka, Chair, Dr Koshun Yamaoka, Commissioner, and Shuichi Kaneko, Secretary General of the Nuclear Regulatory Authority (NRA) of Japan; Dr Mitsuru Uesaka, Chairperson, Dr Yosuke Naoi and Dr Sachiko Yoshihashi, Commissioners of the Japan Atomic Energy Commission (JAEC); Dr Tomonari Yashiro, President of Tokyo City University; and Dr Shuichi Sakamoto, Director-General, Research and Development Bureau, Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology.