Talking nukes with the Turks

Prime Minister Abe is in Turkey for the last visit of his Middle East tour, and the negotiations all sound great on paper. Still, wondering if Japan is the best country to be talking about exporting nuclear power right now…

原発受注、政府間合意へ 日本トルコ 首脳会談
2013/5/3 20:34
【アンカラ＝佐藤賢】安倍晋三首相は３ 日、トルコのアンカラでエルドアン首相と 会談した。黒海沿岸シノプでの原子力発電 所の建設を巡りトルコ政府が日本に優先交 渉権を与えることで合意する。両政府は日 本の原発輸出を可能にする原子力協定と、 シノプに原発を建設する土地をトルコが無 償で日本側に提供することなど政府間協力 を定めた協定に調印する。

原発建設に関する政府間合意を結ぶこと で、三菱重工業と仏アレバ連合の受注が事 実上確定する。東京電力福島第１原発事故 の後、日本勢による初の海外受注案件で、 日本の原発輸出に弾みがつきそうだ。総事 業費は２兆円規模。出力は４基で450万キ ロワット程度となる見通しだ。2023年まで に第１号機の稼働を目指す。

原子力協定は核の不拡散や原発の安全利 用と２国間で確認し、原発輸出の前提とな る。トルコの原発計画は日中韓とカナダの メーカーが受注を目指して激しく競ってき たが、技術力や信頼性、価格などで日本勢 の評価が上回った。

両首相は両国関係を「戦略的パートナー シップ」に格上げする共同宣言に署 名。(1)インフラ整備や医療、農業、人工衛 星打ち上げの協力(2)次官級協議の枠組みを 格上げし、外相の定期協議を開催(3)防衛当 局間の協議促進――を盛り込んだ。

共同研究を進めている経済連携協定（Ｅ ＰＡ）の交渉開始に向けた検討推進や、社 会保障協定の交渉促進で一致。北朝鮮問題 や中東情勢に関する連携も申し合わせる。 日本の首相のトルコ訪問は06年１月の小 泉純一郎氏以来、約７年ぶり。

http://www.nikkei.com/article/DGXNASFS0301N_T00C13A5MM8000/? dg=1
Agreement between governments on accepting orders for nuclear power at Japan-Turkey leadership meeting

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe met with Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan in Ankara, Turkey on the 3 rd . The Turkish government agreed to give priority negotiating rights to Japan for the construction of a nuclear power plant at Sinop on the shore of the Black Sea. Both governments signed an agreement on cooperation with regard to a further agreement on Japan exporting nuclear technology as well as Turkey offering land for free in Sinop for the construction site of the nuclear power plant.

With regard to the agreement on construction of the nuclear power plant, a joint venture of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and French company Areva will receive the orders. After the accident at Tepco’s Fukushima Daiichi reactor, this is the first overseas order for Japanese nuclear technology and it seems like Japanese nuclear exports might begin to gain momentum. The total cost of construction will be around 2 trillion yen. The generating capacity with 4 units is estimated to be 4,500,000 kilowatts. The first reactor is planned to come online in 2023.

The agreement on nuclear power confirmed between the two countries focuses on nuclear non-proliferation and safety in nuclear power as prerequisites for the export of nuclear technology. There was fierce competition among Japanese, Chinese, Korean, and Canadian nuclear power makers for orders in Turkey’s nuclear power program but the Japanese were judged to be the best in terms of technology, reliability, and cost. The leaders issued a joint statement promoting relations between their countries to a “Strategic Partnership.” 3 points were included: (1) Cooperation on infrastructure, medicine, agriculture, and space technology; (2) upgrade the structure of ministerial discussions to begin regular foreign minister discussions; and (3) advance discussions between both countries’ militaries.

They also agreed to continue discussions on beginning negotiations on an economic partnership agreement and advance discussions on joint social security discussions. They also want to continue cooperation on the North Korean problem and the situation in the Middle East. Abe's visit to Turkey is the first by a Japanese prime minister since Koizumi visited in 2006.