Government refuses to limit sites for final disposal of radioactive debris

The central government rejected a request by the governor of Fukushima prefecture to introduce legislation guaranteeing that the final disposal facilities for radioactive waste from the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant disaster would be located outside the prefecture.

“Where to build intermediate storage facilities for radioactive debris has yet to be determined,” Environment Minister Nobuteru Ishihara said at a Feb. 24 Lower House Budget Committee session.

Ishihara implied that the central government would put top priority on completing intermediate facilities to store radioactive materials collected through decontamination work, and that once the intermediate facilities are determined, he would consider introducing the new legislation.

At a December meeting with Ishihara, Fukushima Governor Yuhei Sato asked the minister to introduce legislation that would prohibit the government from selecting Fukushima Prefecture as the final disposal site for radioactive debris. Ishihara promised to make efforts to enact a law after the prefecture and local municipalities agree to allow intermediate facilities. He asked Sato and the mayors of Futaba, Okuma and Naraha to accept the construction of intermediate storage facilities in the three municipalities.

Although the local governments have not determined whether to accept the intermediate storage facilities, the prefecture has demanded that the central government pledge in the new legislation to transfer radioactive materials out of Fukushima Prefecture within 30 years.

“Unless we gain the support of (local people), we will not be able to build intermediate storage facilities,” Ishihara also said Feb. 24. “After I get an opportunity to explain that fact to (local governments), I will tackle the issue (of introducing the new legislation).”