information about Fukushima published in English in Japanese media info publiée en anglais dans la presse japonaise
9 Février 2015
February 9, 2015
http://mainichi.jp/english/english/newsselect/news/20150209p2a00m0na010000c.html
The environment minister proposed to give Fukushima Prefecture and two prefectural towns the authority to check the safety of planned interim storage facilities for radioactive waste as part of a safety agreement proposal.
Environment Minister Yoshio Mochizuki met with Fukushima Gov. Masao Uchibori at the prefectural government office on Feb. 8 to present the safety agreement proposal over interim storage plans for contaminated soil and other radioactive waste generated by the Fukushima nuclear crisis. The government plans to build interim storage facilities in the Fukushima towns of Okuma and Futaba.
The ministry offered the prefectural and municipal governments the authority to carry out on-site inspections, and when the safety of the facilities cannot be confirmed, the local governments will be able to demand a halt to construction of the storehouses and to accepting the contaminated waste.
As the construction plans for interim storage facilities have not been finalized as the government is facing difficulty in reaching agreement with local landowners, the Environment Ministry started construction work for different temporary storage sites on Feb. 3 to keep the radioactive soil and other waste for the time being. The ministry is looking to transfer the contaminated waste to the temporary storage sites by March 11, the fourth anniversary of the Great East Japan Earthquake.
Environment Minister Mochizuki asked the Fukushima governor to sign the safety agreement as soon as possible. Gov. Uchibori told the minister that he'll respond to the government after examining the proposal and listening to the opinions of local residents.
The prefectural government has demanded the central government ensure the safety of the storage facilities, as well as the safety of radioactive waste transportation, and establish agreement with the local governments as conditions for accepting the contaminated waste, among other requirements.
February 8, 2015
http://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/english/news/nuclear.html
Feb. 8, 2015 - Updated 09:27 UTC+1
Japan's Environment Minister Yoshio Mochiduki has asked the governor of Fukushima Prefecture for permission to begin transporting radioactive waste to a projected intermediate storage site by March 11th.
On Tuesday, the government started building facilities in Futaba and Okuma towns to store the radioactive waste stemming from the nuclear accident in 2011.
The prefecture and the 2 towns have set 5 conditions for allowing the waste to be transported. These include creating a law that stipulates the waste will be finally disposed of outside the prefecture. They also want new financial support to help revive the local economy.
Mochiduki and Reconstruction Minister Wataru Takeshita met Fukushima Governor Masao Uchibori at the prefectural government office on Sunday.
Mochiduki explained that the government wants to settle the only pending condition, which involves the signing of a safety pact with the prefecture and the 2 towns.
Uchibori said the prefecture will respond after closely examining the proposal and contacting local residents.
Mochiduki also indicated that the government intends to transfer contaminated soil from schools and irrigation ponds to the intermediate storage facilities.
He told reporters that transporting radioactive waste to the facilities will be an important first step for the reconstruction of Fukushima, and he wants the prefecture to make a decision as soon as possible.
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