Shioya mayor on Govt's plan for final storage

 November 10, 2014

Tochigi town mayor rejects disposal site plan for Fukushima radioactive waste

http://mainichi.jp/english/english/newsselect/news/20141110p2a00m0na005000c.html

UTSUNOMIYA -- The mayor of the Tochigi Prefecture town of Shioya rejected the central government's plan to build a final disposal facility for waste contaminated with radioactive substances from the crippled Fukushima nuclear plant, saying such a facility "would threaten the town's survival."

Mayor Kazuhisa Mikata made the remark in a meeting between the Environment Ministry and the mayors of Tochigi Prefecture municipalities held in Utsunomiya on Nov. 9.

In the meeting, Environment Minister Yoshio Mochizuki explained the national government's selection of Shioya as a site for a final disposal facility for waste contaminated with radioactive substances emanating from the disaster-hit Fukushima No. 1 Nuclear Power Plant, and sought the mayors' understanding.

In response, Shioya Mayor Mikata demanded that the selection be retracted and that such a facility be built within Fukushima Prefecture. "The disposal facility could threaten the town's survival. ... Such waste should be treated intensively in the most contaminated areas," Mikata told the meeting.

However, Mochizuki dismissed the mayor's demand. "Our idea that such waste should be disposed of in various prefectures remains unchanged. We can't place any more burden on Fukushima Prefecture," he said. The environment minister and the mayor remained at odds over the matter.

Tochigi Gov. Tomikazu Fukuda suggested that waste with high levels of radiation eventually be extracted and disposed of after overall radiation levels in such waste decline after a certain period of time, and that the disposal facility accordingly not be billed as "final."

The environment minister promised to consider the governor's proposal.

After the meeting, Mochizuki said he believes that the national government's proposal is gradually gaining understanding from local municipalities despite his differences with the Shioya mayor.

Noting that waste contaminated with high levels of radioactive substances is temporarily stored at 170 locations in the prefecture, Mochizuki said, "I feel that the process of selecting the site for the disposal facility and our concerns about the current situation are gaining understanding to a certain extent."

However, Mikata said he remained strongly opposed to building a final disposal facility in Shioya.

November 10, 2014(Mainichi Japan)