Nuclear dumping in Japan

May 24, 1995
Issue 
188

Nuclear dumping in Japan

By Eva Cheng

Japan's central government and power industries have dumped 14 tons of highly radioactive waste in the northern fishing and farming town of Rokkasho despite strong objection from the local residents. They pushed the move through late last month despite clear evidence that the site is vulnerable to earthquakes and related disasters.

Two active faults run underneath the town. Cracks caused by a magnitude 7.5 earthquake in December remain in the concrete around a local port and nearby roads.

Hundreds of local residents protested against the move during the waste-carrying freighter's two-month voyage from France. The resistance was also backed by the local governor, Morio Kimura, until the last minute. The ship would have had difficulty docking without his approval. When he changed his mind and let the freighter in, the resistance was already too small to stop the move.

The shipment is only the first of dozens planned in the coming decade. They will carry waste from nuclear fuel of Japanese electric companies after it has been reprocessed overseas.

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