The Board of Audit is investigating two nuclear research institutes over waste-disposal failures at their facilities, sources familiar with the case said Monday.

The board is also investigating the education ministry, which supervises the Japan Nuclear Cycle Development Institute and the Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute, over the issue.

The latter store low-level nuclear waste generated during research activities at their atomic power reactors, according to the sources. They also accept waste of this kind from other research entities, the sources said.

The institutes have much lower disposal rates than commercial nuclear plants, according to the board.

Efficient waste-disposal practices will allow the state to cut its waste-storage expenses, as well as costs incurred by the construction of storage sites, they said.

JNC generates about 6,000 200-liter drums of nuclear waste annually and was storing some 166,000 drums as of the end of fiscal 2000.

Storage expenses for that year totaled 3.7 billion yen, with the institute capable of storing 212,000 drums.

JAERI produces about 3,400 drums per year and currently stores about 154,000 drums at its facility. Its storage expenses for fiscal 2000 were about 2.2 billion yen, with the institute capable of holding up to 179,000 drums.

As the Nuclear Safety Commission continues to hammer out a law governing the disposal of waste generated by research institutes, JNC and JAERI are both seen to be lagging behind in this context.

Commercial nuclear plants are regulated under the Nuclear Reactor Regulation Law.

The board will call on the Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Ministry to establish the law -- along with related regulations and a disposal system -- as part of an effort to promote the disposal of nuclear waste at research institutions, the sources said.