Unilateral Proceeding for Nuclear Waste Disposal

The Nuclear Waste Management Organization of Japan (NUMO) submitted Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industries (METI) a report on the primary research for locating facility for final disposal of nuclear waste in two small towns in Hokkaido. The report recognized that those towns had geologic potential to be built the facility, regardless divided local opinions over accepting nuclear disposals. Governor of Hokkaido issued a comment that he would be against the plan of further researches. 

Just like the most country in the world, Japan does not have any facility for final disposal of used nuclear fuels produced by nuclear power plants. While the government of Japan has been looking for a place suitable for building the facility to stock that waste for a long time, maybe a hundred thousand years, there appeared no local community which would be willing to accept it.

 

In 2020, a small town called Suttsu, located in southwest coast of Hokkaido Island, stepped forward to accept primary research for nuclear disposal facility. The government has a framework to give subsidy of billions of yen to a local community which accepts the research. The mayor of Suttsu, Haruo Kataoka, did not conceal his intention to accept it for improving fiscal difficulty caused by depopulation. A neighbor village, Kamoenai, also joined the action of Suttsu. The government welcomed them.

 

NUMO, a subordinate body of the government, started “document research,” the first step for the location of nuclear disposal facility prior to “rough research” and “detailed research,” in Suttsu and Kamoenai in 2020. Having finished the document research, NUMO wrapped up the report, hoping to proceed to next step of “rough research.”

 

The report found that there were places worth for further research in Suttsu and Kamoenai, except somewhere close to active fault or volcano. However, most of the land of Kamoenai falls within fifteen kilometers from a volcano, Mt. Shakotan-dake. There are a lot of faults under the archipelago of Japan, including the area around Suttsu, as notified in the major Earthquake in Noto Peninsula on January 1st. The report plainly meant that the possibility is not zero percent.

 

“I will decide whether we go or back after reconfirming the opinions of the residents. Referendum is one the options,” told Mayor of Kamoenai, Masayuki Takahashi, in his press conference. Mayor of Suttsu issued no comment. The government needs to get approval from the governor of Hokkaido to proceed to next step. Governor Naomichi Suzuki issued a comment that he would be oppose to proceed to rough research.

 

One of the reasons Kataoka raised for accepting “document research” four years ago was to invite other cities in Japan to join his action, which would increase options for the government to choose places for nuclear waste disposal. Nevertheless, there was no city or town in Japan to raise a hand to accept the research so far. Suttsu and Kamoenai are only two choices for the government to stock nuclear waste.

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