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                    US, Japan Announce Landmark Nuclear Deal

   Japan will hand over hundreds of kilograms of weapons-grade uranium and
   plutonium to the United States as part of efforts to reduce global
   stockpiles of sensitive atomic material.
   U.S. President Barack Obama and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe
   announced the deal Monday at a two-day nuclear security summit in The
   Hague.
   In a joint statement, the leaders said all highly-enriched uranium and
   separated plutonium will be removed from the Fast Critical Assembly at
   the Japan Atomic Energy Agency.
   U.S. Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz told reporters Monday in the
   Netherlands "the material will be transported to the United States for
   conversion into proliferation-resistant forms." He called the agreement
   a "very significant security pledge."
   Japan`s special nuclear adviser, Yosuke Isozaki, told reporters
   removing the nuclear material will help in preventing the risk of
   nuclear terrorism, a focus of the summit.
   Japan received the nuclear material from the U.S. for research during
   the 1960`s, and is reported to have more than 300 kilograms of mostly
   weapons-grade plutonium.
   The meeting in the Hague brings together delegations from 53 countries
   to discuss reducing and securing nuclear supplies.
   Also Monday, officials said Italy and Belgium have transferred highly
   enriched uranium and plutonium to the United States. Italy reportedly
   removed some 20 kilograms of nuclear material, while Belgium is said to
   have turned over a "significant amount."
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   [1]http://www.voanews.com/content/us-japan-announce-landmark-nuclear-de
   al/1877912.html

References

   1. http://www.voanews.com/content/us-japan-announce-landmark-nuclear-deal/1877912.html