Status of Japanese Underground Research Laboratory – Design and construction of 1000 m-deep shafts and research tunnels

One of the features of the geological disposal policy in Japan is the establishment of Underground Research Laboratories (URLs). The URLs must be distinct from an actual disposal facility, as outlined in the Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) report (AEC, 2000). Research on the deep geological environment will provide the basis for R&D on geological disposal of high-level radioactive waste. The AEC stipulated that research at the underground laboratories should also contribute to Japan’s scientific research on the geological environment.