Details of the plan to store spent fuel in Mongolia

The Japanese media obtained a copy of the draft agreement between the United States, Japan, and Mongolia that contain some details of a plan to establish a spent fuel storage site in Mongolia. In May 2011, following first reports about this arrangement, officials of these countries gave conflicting accounts of its status. Mongolian officials denied having a plan to bring "harmful waste" to the country, without specifying, however, whether this category covers spent nuclear fuel. 

The draft agreement describes a "comprehensive fuel services" arrangement that includes Mongolia supplying uranium for reactor fuel and accepting spent nuclear fuel for final disposal. It is reported to mention that Mongolia had already discussed the uranium supply and spent fuel take-back arrangements with United Arab Emirates. Also, Mainichi News described an effort of Toshiba Corporation to lobby the U.S. government to support the "comprehensive fuel services" scheme in the face of the controversy that surrounded the first reports and the opposition that the arrangement will likely to meet after the Fukushima accident.