New ministers visit Fukushima

September 7, 2014

New industry minister Obuchi visits crisis-hit Fukushima No. 1 plant

http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2014/09/07/national/new-industry-minister-obuchi-visits-crisis-hit-fukushima-1-plant/#.VAyssGOnq1s

Kyodo

FUKUSHIMA – Just days after assuming the post, new industry minister Yuko Obuchi visited the disaster-hit Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant on Sunday.

Speaking to workers dealing with reactor decommissioning and the buildup of radioactive water at the site, the economy, trade and industry minister said, “Because of your dedicated work, we are seeing progress step by step.”

During the visit to the plant, Obuchi held talks with officials of plant operator Tokyo Electric Power Co. and contractors on the challenges they face.

Obuchi then went to the top floor of the No. 4 reactor building where fuel is being removed from the spent fuel pool and observed work to build another water treatment system to reduce radiation levels of the massive amount of radioactive water being kept in tanks.

She also checked the progress of a government-funded project to build an underground ice wall around the basements of the Nos. 1-4 reactor buildings to prevent groundwater from further seeping into the buildings and becoming contaminated with radioactive substances.

Regarding radioactive water issues, Obuchi admitted that problems have occurred but noted the “overall” situation is “under control.”

Obuchi, daughter of late Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi and the youngest member of the Cabinet, was appointed as economy, trade and industry minister on Wednesday when Prime Minister Shinzo Abe reshuffled his Cabinet.

See also:

September 8, 2014

New industry minister Obuchi visits crisis-hit Fukushima plant

http://mainichi.jp/english/english/newsselect/news/20140908p2g00m0dm023000c.html

FUKUSHIMA, Japan (Kyodo) -- New industry minister Yuko Obuchi on Sunday visited the disaster-hit Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, days after assuming her ministerial post.

[…]

September 5, 2014

New environment minister visits Fukushima

http://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/english/news/20140905_38.html

Sep. 5, 2014 - Updated 13:19 UTC+2

Japan's new environment minister, Yoshio Mochiduki, has told leading politicians of Fukushima that he will work hard to gain local consent for the construction of interim radioactive waste storage facilities in the prefecture.

Mochiduki on Friday visited Fukushima Prefecture for the first time since assuming his post earlier this week.

He met Governor Yuhei Sato at the prefectural office.

Mochiduki said the government will never forget that accepting construction of the facilities was a very harsh decision for the local communities.

He said he will make every effort to establish a relationship of trust with the local communities through careful explanations.

Sato asked the minister to push on with the project in consideration of people living as evacuees.

Mochiduki said the government will work hard to enact legislation in the autumn Diet session to stipulate that the stored waste will be moved out of Fukushima Prefecture within 30 years.

The minister then met the mayor of Okuma Town, Toshitsuna Watanabe. The storage facilities will be built in Okuma and Futaba towns.

Mochiduki asked for cooperation, saying that the government will give detailed and easy-to-understand explanations to owners of land at the planned site and others concerned.

The mayor said the priority is to gain understanding from the landowners and that he hopes the government will perform its duty with clear explanations.