A panel at Japan’s industry ministry has effectively approved a draft report on the first stage survey to choose a final disposal site for high-level radioactive waste from nuclear plants.
The survey was conducted for two municipalities in the northernmost prefecture of Hokkaido.
The Nuclear Waste Management Organization of Japan, or NUMO, has conducted the so-called literature survey on the two candidate sites, namely Suttsu Town and Kamoenai Village. Since 2020, they have been the targets of the first stage survey for the first time in the country. Such a survey is the first step of a three-stage process to select a possible final disposal site.
NUMO released an initial report on the literature survey in February, saying that all areas of Suttsu and an area in the southern part of Kamoenai, are suitable candidates for the second stage of the process.
A law requires that high-level radioactive waste must be buried more than 300 meters underground at the final disposal site. The second stage survey involves boring, and other studies.
On Thursday, the industry ministry panel effectively approved the draft of the final report on the first stage survey, which was compiled based on the points raised in debates by the panel.
With the approval, NUMO plans to submit an official report to Hokkaido Prefecture and the two municipalities in the fall of this year at the earliest.
To advance to the second stage, consent needs to be obtained from the mayors of the two municipalities and the governor of Hokkaido.
Hokkaido Governor Suzuki Naomichi has made it clear that he will oppose the survey, citing a prefectural ordinance against accepting nuclear waste disposal.