Original Japanese written by Kay Ikezumi, Secretary General.

The English below written and arranged by Heeday, based on the original Japanese

The English edited by Rev. Dr. Henry French, ELCA

Japan’s Nuclear Regulation Authority (NRA), on November 16^th, gave a go-ahead to the extended operation of Unit 3 of The Kansai Electric Power’s Mihama Nuclear Power Station (hereafter “KEPCO” and “Mihama NPS,” respectively). Located in Mihama, Fukui Prefecture, Japan (some 47 miles north-northeast of Kyoto), the old NPP has been at work over the last four decades. This is the third aged reactor whose “prolongation” has been approved, following Units 1 and 2 of KEPCO’s Takahama Nuclear Power Plant (NPP).

Following the disaster of TEPCO’s Fukushima Daiichi NPP, the NPP safety laws were revised in 2011 to eliminate outdated NPPs. Under the revised safety laws, Japan has a “40-year of operation” regulation. There is, however, an exemption to this. The NRA can authorize an old NPP’s “prolongation” of operation, just once, for up to 20 additional years, as a “highly exceptional case,” since applying the “40-year rule” strictly would eliminate many reactors, which might result in a power shortage.

The approval of Mihama Unit 3’s prolongation is making “highly exceptional cases” commonplace. At present, what practical meaning does the “40-year rule” have? Many are seriously worried that we might see more and more aged reactors’ lives prolonged.

The Mihama NPS marks its 40^th year of operation this November, and should have been decommissioned, if the NRA had not approved its prolongation.

The Authority claims it has confirmed that a major accident would not destroy Unit 3’s reactor vessel. When the Fukushima Daiichi disaster hit, however, most media reported that the “myth of NPP safety has broken down.” So, where has this lesson gone?

KEPCO says it will spend some JPY165 billion on reinforcing the unit, to make it resistant to earthquakes and tsunamis. The reinforcement work should be finished in 2020, after which the reactor is to be restarted. Despite this gigantic investment, at a regular press meeting last October, KEPCO’s President, Shigeki Iwane, emphatically stated: “We believe the restart work should pay off economically.”

Recently, India and Japan signed a civil nuclear agreement. One result of the deal is that many of Japan’s reactor providers—now that it is next to impossible to build a new NPP in Japan—can now count on India’s market as a major NPP export target.

The restart approval and the nuclear agreement stand on the same principle—money matters more than life. Life is disregarded for money.

In the aftermath of the Fukushima Daiichi disaster, currently almost 100,000 Fukushima citizens are still living as evacuees, to avoid exposure to radioactivity and other hazards, in places far away from their hometowns. They have already been living as refugees for 5.5 years now, and this has cost many of them their health. Many aged evacuees are living in isolation, which adversely affects their health, both mentally and physically, while some have chosen to commit suicide.

The Fukushima Daiichi disaster has deprived those citizens of their ordinary living, exposed them to radiation, and left behind gigantic heaps of radioactive waste. Also, the decommissioning of the NPP has a long, winding way to go. None of these grave issues have so far been resolved. Still, there is a mega trend in Japan to approve NPP life prolongation, permit NPP restarts, and export NPPs.

We need to stand up against this trend. Otherwise, it will run wild.

Below: Article from the November 17^th, 2016 edition of the Asahi Shimbun newspaper

Original Japanese written by Toshiaki Ozeki, member of the No Nuke Project’s Committee

The English below written and arranged by Heeday, based on the original Japanese

The English edited by Rev. Dr. Henry French, ELCA

Below: Article from the November 12^th, 2016 edition of the Asahi Shimbun newspaper

Prime Ministers Modi of India and Abe of Japan, on November 11^th, agreed to and signed a civil nuclear agreement which will enable the export of nuclear power plants from Japan to India. Japan has experienced the devastation nuclear energy can cause, and the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant disaster has yet to be controlled. India, an owner of nuclear weapons, has yet to join in the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. Thus, many are asking serious questions about the agreement. Though the deal provides that, in the event India resumes nuclear weapon tests, Japan can cease cooperation with India, this agreement, in its essence, is an arrangement for Japan’s nuclear power plant builders/providers to secure a good market. Thus, PM Abe’s remark that his nation is going for “a world without nuclear weapons” now sounds empty.

Original Japanese written by Izumi Koshiyama, staffer

The English below written and arranged by Heeday, based on the original Japanese

The English edited by Rev. Dr. Henry French, ELCA

Below: Article from the November 9^th, 2016 edition of the Fukushima Minpo newspaper

The JAEA (Japan Atomic Energy Agency, a national R&D agency) intends to build a new experiment facility in Tomioka Town, Fukushima. (The northern border of the town is only around 3 miles away from Fukushima Daiichi, at its closest point.)  At this facility, they plan to conduct experiments in FY2017 to learn what caused the melted fuel rods (called “fuel debris”) at Fukushima Daiichi. The Japanese government has allocated a budget of some JPY 1.5 billion to the new facility’s construction according to the article. Literally, billions of our tax money is going to this project.