1.   Many others may also be retired before they could begin burning plutonium.

2.   The plants would be turned over to the Energy Department, which would use them to burn the plutonium.

3.   Breeder reactors burn plutonium instead of conventional uranium and offer the promise of producing more plutonium as part of the reaction process.

4.   Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute officials said the technology would burn plutonium mixed with other materials, including aluminium and magnesium, at existing light-water nuclear reactors.

5.   Japan leads the world in nuclear technology and its highly advanced Fugen nuclear reactor at Tsuruga on the Sea of Japan could begin burning plutonium.