The UK has agreed a framework of civil nuclear cooperation with Japan, announced as part of David Cameron’s first official visit to the country. The Department for Energy and Climate Change says the agreement could create opportunities for UK companies to engage in multi-billion pound decommissioning projects.

Charles Hendry, Minister of State for Energy said: “The UK has a wealth of expertise and experience in the area of nuclear decommissioning and waste management. I am in no doubt that cooperation with Japan in these areas will bring mutual benefits.”

The joint framework, agreed at the UK/Japan summit on nuclear energy, aims to exploit Japanese companies’ technical expertise in new plant design and construction and the UK’s decommissioning and waste-management experience and technology.

Separately, the UK’s Nuclear Industry Association and the Japan Atomic Industrial Forum signed a Memorandum of Understanding to further industrial collaboration between companies from the UK and Japan.