Aomori Pref. Asked to Accept New N-Waste Delivery Proposal

Aomori, Oct. 10 (Jiji Press)--The Federation of Electric Power Companies of Japan on Thursday asked Aomori Prefecture to accept its new proposal to deliver nuclear waste returned from overseas to the northeastern Japan prefecture, only to be refused.

During the day's meeting with Aomori Governor Soichiro Miyashita at the prefectural government office, FEPC Vice Chairman Toshiharu Sasaki presented the idea to exchange low-level radioactive waste returned from foreign countries for a small amount of high-level radioactive waste and deliver it to a facility in Aomori. The nuclear waste was generated from the reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel from nuclear power plants in Japan.

Miyashita refused the new proposal, saying, "I can neither understand nor cooperate."

The FEPC has made a commitment with a French nuclear operator to complete the return of low-level radioactive waste to Japan by the end of 2033. However, as it will be difficult to have the large amount of low-level waste returned to Japan by the deadline due to the need of repeated transportation and time required to construct a new reception facility, the FEPC hopes to keep its promise by replacing it with a small amount of high-level waste.

Meanwhile, the Aomori governor told the FEPC vice chairman, "Please put trusting relationships with Aomori residents first in your business, rather than international credibility."

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]