TOKYO, Feb. 8 (Xinhuanet) -- Japan has expressed the willingness to cooperate with the United States on a program to expand civilian nuclear energy within and outside of the United States, Kyodo News reported Wednesday.

    Experts from the two countries will work out in the near future the details of the program titled the Global Nuclear Energy Partnership, or GNEP, which is aimed at safely providing nuclear fuel to developing nations and advancing technologies for recycling and protecting nuclear fuel and waste, sources familiar with the matter was quoted as saying.

    Japanese sources said U.S. Deputy Secretary of Energy Clay Sell visited Japan on Jan. 20 to brief Japanese officials about the program.

    The U.S. Department of Energy announced on Monday that it would request 250 million U.S. dollars from Congress to launch the international effort, which intends to develop new, efficient ways to produce nuclear fuel and provide it to other countries, while also safeguarding against nuclear proliferation, according to the Energy Department.

    Japanese officials said Japan can contribute by developing the latest technologies for fuel reprocessing and for fast-breeder reactors. Enditem¡¡