The Japanese government decided to maintain its current policy of reprocessing nuclear fuel, from which plutonium is extracted. A report by Japan's atomic power committee, seeking to continue Japan's reprocessing policy of nuclear fuel, has been approved. The government task force comprising experts of various fields held repeated discussions on the matter since it was launched in June. The issue was whether to continue with the current reprocessing method or bury the spent fuel underground. The committee cited stable energy supplies and environmental protection as reasons for opting for reprocessing, although it said that reprocessing is costlier than simple burial.