Museum doesn't want to cohabit with nuclear waste

October 2, 2012

Museum opposes decision on nuclear waste disposal

http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/national/T121001003445.htm

The Yomiuri Shimbun

A museum is strongly objecting to the planned construction of a final disposal site for radioactive waste in a national forest in Takahagi, Ibaraki Prefecture.

The Tokugawa Museum, a public interest incorporated foundation, took a stand against the Environment Ministry's decision because the Tokugawa Forest it co-owns is adjacent to the candidate site, which is to be used to bury waste contaminated by radiation from the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant.

The museum said the ministry's decision has thrown a wrench in its own plans to a open a mountain villa in its forest to the public and eventually have it designated as an important cultural asset.

The mountain villa, called Tenryuin Sanso, was built in 1886 by Tokugawa Akitake, the 11th lord of the Mito domain and the younger brother of the 15th and last Tokugawa shogun, Yoshinobu (1837-1913).

The museum's forest, located in Takahagi and Hitachi-Ota in Ibaraki Prefecture, has an area of about 1,420 hectares. The villa is in Hitachi-Ota and about three kilometers from the candidate site.

"I was surprised when I learned [the candidate site] would be so close to our forest. I wonder if the Environment Ministry considered adjacent lands," said Royichi Ishii, head of the Ibaraki office of Oono Forestry Co. that jointly owns and manages the forest.

"We're worried about all sorts of rumors [concerning radioactive waste] ahead of [our application] to have the villa designated as an important cultural asset," the museum said. "We'll strongly oppose construction" of the site for disposal of the waste.

The museum already has said it will cooperate with Takahagi Mayor Yoshio Kusama, who strongly opposes the ministry's decision.

The museum will officially express its opposition to the ministry's decision during a board of directors meeting on Wednesday, it said.