Accepting Survey for Nuclear Waste Disposal Site

The Mayor of Genkai Town, Saga, Shintaro Wakiyama, announced on May 10th that the town would accept the offer of Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry for “literature survey” on feasibility of building a final disposal site of high-level radioactive waste. Genkai became the third local government to accept that survey, following the two in Hokkaido, and the first one with nuclear power plant. Genkai will receive ¥2 billion of reward in turn. 

In a meeting of local assembly of Genkai, Wakiyama revealed his decision of accepting the literature survey. “We have contributed to the national policies in many ways. It is a significant decision for us to accept the literature survey,” said Wakiyama in his press conference after the announcement in the assembly.

 

Wakiyama was negative on building the final disposal site for nuclear waste in Genkai, even though it would be the purpose of the survey. “I hope that our stepping forward can be a momentum for the national government to find a location for the site,” said Wakiyama. His decision was not for building a nuclear disposal site, but for igniting the discussion over where the used nuclear fuels in Japan should be settled.

 

Some groups of hotels and restaurants in Genkai submitted petitions for accepting the literature survey earlier this year and the local assembly approved them last month. Wakiyama recognized the passage as a cause for accepting the survey. The petitioners expected the survey to work as a measure for promoting local economy. Why a survey can be an economic policy? That is because the survey would be followed by ¥2 billion of subsidy.

 

Wakiyama insisted that his decision was not for money. However, there is no other explanation than receiving money that a survey would be contributing to increase income of hotels or restaurants. It is obvious that the people in Genkai expect more visitors coming, if they can improve infrastructure for tourism, or more comfortable local life with a great amount of subsidy.

 

The first local town which accepted the literature survey was Suttsu, Hokkaido. Suttsu raised a cause of momentum for further discussion over nuclear waste. The second was Kamoenai village, Hokkaido, which raised the responsibility for settling nuclear waste. Kamoenai has nuclear power plant in neighbor village. Genkai has both reason to accept the survey.

 

One major contradiction for Genkai is that it has a great coal layer underground, which is not preferable to bury nuclear waste. In Japan, the final disposal site has to be built underground with legal mandate. If the national government fails in finding an appropriate place for nuclear disposal in Genkai, what that ¥2 billion will be spent for? The fund is collected from the taxpayers.

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