Nuclear energy research initiative and nuclear energy in the 21st century

U.S. President's Committee of Advisors on Science and Technology(PCAST) rec ommended in its recent report to the President that U.S. Department of Ener gy should establish the Nuclear Energy Research Initiative(NERI) to provide the funding for investigator-initiated ideas to address the issues confron ting nuclear energy. This paper summarizes the current status of the U.S. n uclear energy based on the PCAST report and other reports published in the last two years in the United States, and discusses consequences and meaning s of NERI to Japan's research and development for nuclear energy. Utilizing the currently available resources in a more competitive, objective, and co operative manner, japan could have a NERI-like program, which could make su bstantial contribution to, and impact on, improvement of global energy and environment issues.