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2011 May 11 - 17 [NUCLEAR CRISIS]

Yoshii demands decommissioning of Hamaoka reactors

“The Hamaoka Nuclear Power Plant should be decommissioned and not limited to a temporary suspension of operations,” said Japanese Communist Party representative Yoshii Hidekatsu at a meeting of the House of Representatives Committee on Economy, Trade, and Industry on May 11.

For 30 years, the JCP has been calling for the closure of the Hamaoka NPP.

On February 4, 1981, then JCP Secretariat Head Fuwa Tetsuzo at a Lower House Budget Committee meeting pointed out that the Hamaoka NPP is located just above the epicenter of a predicted massive earthquake. He criticized the government at that time for approving the plan to construct another reactor in addition to the two reactors already in existence at the plant.

Referring to this argument, Yoshii asked, “Are there any other countries in the world that have a nuclear power plant right over an active earthquake fault? Which nuclear power plants in Japan have been built within one kilometer of active faults?”

Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency (NISA) Director Terasaka Nobuaki answered, “I don’t think there is such a country in the world. In Japan, the Mihama NPP, the Tsuruga NPP, and fast-breeder reactor Monju are located within 1km from active faults.”

Yoshii stated, “Japan is the only country in the world that has nuclear power plants constructed on top of active earthquake faults.”

Yoshii also pointed out that Nuclear Safety Commission (NSC) Chair at that time Suzuki Atsuyuki in November 2007 stated, “If a major active fault is confirmed to be immediately beneath a proposed construction site, it is normal to expect that it will probably be unacceptable to construct a nuclear power plant at such a location.”

The present Chair of the NSC, Madarame Haruki, stated that he also “has the same view” as his predecessor.

Yoshii then asked Kaieda Banri, Minister of Economy, Trade, and Industry, for his opinion.

Kaieda replied, “Immediately following the Fukushima nuclear accident, we have had Chubu Electric Power Company add safety measures. We have also requested the operator to have a tsunami preparedness program.”

Yoshii stated, “I’m not talking about emergency measures. Hamaoka, located in a hypocentral region, was not appropriate in the first place as a location for the construction of nuclear reactors.”

He again demanded that the government decommission the Hamaoka NPP, not limited to a tentative shutdown, by boldly introducing renewable energy alternatives.