Waste site surveys delayed

November 19, 2015

Govt. to postpone nuclear waste site survey

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

Nov. 19, 2015 - Updated 13:14 UTC+1

Japan's Environment Ministry has informed Miyagi Prefecture that it will postpone a plan to start onsite surveys by the end of the year of 3 possible sites for a radioactive waste disposal facility.

State Minister of Environment Shinji Inoue met Miyagi Governor Yoshihiro Murai at the prefectural government office on Thursday.

Inoue said ministry officials had paid daily visits to the candidate sites since last month. He added that local opposition prevented them from starting the surveys before snow accumulates on the ground.

He added that the ministry plans to hold a meeting of municipal mayors in the prefecture by the end of the year to continue seeking local understanding for the plan.

Murai said 2 years have passed since the government proposed building a disposal site for radioactive waste, but said it has done nothing. He said this is due to a lack of political leadership.

Murai said he's disappointed at the ministry's handling of the plan.

The ministry has put off the survey in Miyagi for 2 straight years.

Radioactive waste site surveys to be postponed

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

Nov. 19, 2015 - Updated 02:55 UTC+1

Japan's Environment Ministry is likely to postpone a plan to start onsite surveys by the year-end of 3 candidate sites for a radioactive waste disposal facility in Miyagi Prefecture. The postponement was due to local opposition to the plan, among other problems.

State Minister of the Environment Shinji Inoue is expected to convey the decision to Miyagi Governor Yoshihiro Murai at the prefectural government office on Thursday.

The ministry plans to conduct field surveys at the sites, including one in the town of Kami, to dispose of contaminated waste from the accident at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant in the neighboring prefecture.

Ministry officials have paid daily visits to Kami since last month to try to conduct the survey, but local opposition prevented them from starting the examination.

Ministry officials wanted to start the surveys by the year-end before snow piles up on the ground. But Kami authorities plan to block roads leading to the candidate site starting on Friday.

Municipalities of other candidate sites -- Kurihara City and Taiwa Town, have indicated that they may give up the offer to host the sites if the surveys were not conducted by the end of this year.