Eleven power companies in Japan are expected to spend $24 billion on safety upgrades at their Japanese nuclear power plants, according to a report published by The Japan Times. nuclearstreet.com

Trials have been completed by UK companies Costain and Tetronics International of new technology for the vitrification of intermediate-level radioactive waste (ILW). The partners claim the technology could reduce the volume of such waste from the nuclear industry by up to 90%. world-nuclear-news.org

The Minerals Council of Australia (MCA) has called on the Royal Commission looking into the future of nuclear in South Australia to view the restart of Japan’s Sendai 1 reactor as a timely indicator of the nuclear industry’s strong future. world-nuclear-news.org

Nuclear and biochemical experts have been sent to the Chinese city of Tianjin after two huge explosions in a warehouse area storing dangerous goods killed dozens of people. itv.com