Tokyo, Oct. 15 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s nuclear waste disposal body said Thursday that it has begun a literature survey in Hitachiomiya, Ibaraki Prefecture, eastern Japan, as part of the process for selecting a site for the permanent disposal of high-level radioactive waste from nuclear power plants. The Nuclear Waste Management Organization of Japan, or NUMO, will analyze geologic maps and other documents to assess potential risks from volcanoes and faults over about two years. A similar survey by NUMO is already underway in Suttsu and Kamoenai, both Hokkaido, and Genkai, Saga Prefecture, as well as on Minamitorishima, an island in Tokyo’s Ogasawara chain in the Pacific. Hitachiomiya Mayor Sadayuki Suzuki announced his agreement to the survey late last month. The next stages are a preliminary investigation involving drilling and a detailed investigation that would involve building underground facilities. Advancing to either stage requires the consent of the local prefectural governor and other officials. Ibaraki Governor Kazuhiko Oigawa has indicated he will not consent, saying the prefecture “has already made a substantial contribution to the national energy policy and borne a considerable burden.” Local residents also have strong concerns about the final disposal. The city government plans to hold public briefings during the literature survey. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]
