Japan supports Australia for GIF

Bilateral talks between Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe and Australian prime minister Jon Howard at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) summit in Sydney, Australia have secured Japanese support for Australia's participation in the Generation-IV International Forum (GIF). At the meeting, both premiers reaffirmed their commitment to the peaceful use of nuclear energy. The premiers agreed that long term responses to climate change would include the use of nuclear energy and that Australia and Japan should cooperate to promote nuclear power generation in a manner that ensures nuclear non-proliferation, safety and security. This would allow the development of nuclear energy as a clean, zero-emission energy source. GIF is a project of  ten countries plus the European Union that aims to develop advanced nuclear power reactors for deployment after about 2030.