July 13, 2011
The government allocated a budget of 35.87 billion yen for public relations use for nuclear energy between FY2006 and FY2010, in essence the imposition of nuclear power generation on the public by using tax money.
Akahata on July 13 reported that the PR budget includes funds for holding symposiums in reactor-hosting municipalities, publishing PR magazines, and running ads in newspapers.
In Aomori Prefecture, where a spent fuel reprocessing plant is on a test run, a METI-affiliated organization issues the quarterly PR magazine, “Aomori Tomorrow”, for all farm households in the prefecture.
The magazine, in its “Starting from Nuclear Fuel Cycle (NFC)” article, introduces various activities funded by a grant from the government given to Aomori in exchange for hosting of the reprocessing plant. A magazine’s double-page spread corner titled “Key to NFC” features articles underlining the safety of NPPs and the necessity of the NFC. The magazine introduced a new corner in July called “I see! Radiation” on how radioactive rays are being utilized in agriculture.
The same organization also runs the energy information magazine “Dream” for local residents in municipalities where NPPs are located.
The magazine “Dream” has a Q & A corner. In the March edition, it offers the response that “radiation does not affect the environment” to a reader’s question, “Does radiation from NPPs have any impact on the sea?” Another corner titled “Journey into Radiation” emphasizes the claim that radiation is useful to people in their daily lives and is not something to be afraid of.
The budget for these PR activities has been added as an extra tax to electricity charges.
Akahata on July 13 reported that the PR budget includes funds for holding symposiums in reactor-hosting municipalities, publishing PR magazines, and running ads in newspapers.
In Aomori Prefecture, where a spent fuel reprocessing plant is on a test run, a METI-affiliated organization issues the quarterly PR magazine, “Aomori Tomorrow”, for all farm households in the prefecture.
The magazine, in its “Starting from Nuclear Fuel Cycle (NFC)” article, introduces various activities funded by a grant from the government given to Aomori in exchange for hosting of the reprocessing plant. A magazine’s double-page spread corner titled “Key to NFC” features articles underlining the safety of NPPs and the necessity of the NFC. The magazine introduced a new corner in July called “I see! Radiation” on how radioactive rays are being utilized in agriculture.
The same organization also runs the energy information magazine “Dream” for local residents in municipalities where NPPs are located.
The magazine “Dream” has a Q & A corner. In the March edition, it offers the response that “radiation does not affect the environment” to a reader’s question, “Does radiation from NPPs have any impact on the sea?” Another corner titled “Journey into Radiation” emphasizes the claim that radiation is useful to people in their daily lives and is not something to be afraid of.
The budget for these PR activities has been added as an extra tax to electricity charges.
