The Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) has filed a request with the Nuclear Regulation Authority to add medical radioisotope production to the goals of the Joyo experimental fast reactor in Oarai, Ibaraki Prefecture.
The JAEA is particularly interested in the production of actinium-225, a radioactive substance that shows promise as a cancer treatment drug. The agency envisions a therapy where a drug containing actinium-225 is injected into a patient's body to target and destroy cancer cells.
The use of a fast reactor for actinium-225 production is relatively uncommon worldwide. The JAEA aims to begin manufacturing the radioisotope by the end of fiscal year 2026.
To support this effort, the JAEA and the National Cancer Center Japan signed a collaboration agreement in February 2023 for research and development of cancer therapy using actinium-225.
While clinical trials of actinium-225 therapy are ongoing in various countries, the limited global supply of the substance restricts treatment to approximately 3,000 patients annually.
The Joyo reactor, originally designed as a compact experimental reactor for developing a plutonium-fueled fast reactor, has been offline since 2007 due to equipment issues. The JAEA plans to reactivate the reactor around the middle of fiscal year 2026, subject to approvals from authorities in Ibaraki Prefecture and the town of Oarai.