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2012 April 4 - 10 TOP3 [NUCLEAR CRISIS]

NPPs on quake-prone Japan are exceedingly dangerous

Akahata editorial (excerpts)

If an ocean trench-linked earthquake occurs on the Pacific side of Japan, 10 prefectures will experience a quake of level 7 or higher and the predicted height of tsunamis will exceed 20 meters in 6 prefectures, underlining the danger of nuclear power stations on the quake-prone archipelago.

A Cabinet Office study panel on March 31 released predictions in the event a mega-quake occurs in the “Nankai Trough” where earthquakes frequently occur.

The panel states that the expected maximum magnitude will be 9.0.

The focal zone includes the Chubu Electric Power’s Hamaoka Nuclear Power Plant in Omaezaki City in Shizuoka Prefecture and the Shikoku Electric Power’s Ikata NPP in Ikata Town in Ehime Prefecture.

As for the Hamaoka NPP, it is located right above the focal point, so in the event of a Nankai Trough-linked earthquake of magnitude 9.0, the Hamaoka NPP will suffer a level 7 quake and 21-meter tsunamis. An earthquake at an upper 6 level would hit the Ikata NPP with 3-meter height tsunamis. The new predictions far exceed previous predictions. It is necessary to reassess anti-quake preparedness at the two facilities.

A breakwater as defense against an 18-meter tsunami has been under construction at the Hamaoka NPP in the wake of the 3.11 disaster. However, according to the latest predictions, a 21-meter tsunami would surge into the plant.

At the time of the Great East Japan Disaster in March last year, a quake of upper 6 level and a 15-meter tsunami hit Tokyo Electric Power’s Fukushima Daiichi NPP, causing meltdowns due to a power outage and emitting a massive volume of radioactive substances.

The Hamaoka NPP faces danger of the occurrence of a much more severe quake and tsunami. It is vital to shut down the plant right now.

Japan has built nuclear facilities on the quake-prone archipelago although they are technologically insufficient in the first place and the damage will be immense once a severe accident occurs. The government should decide to shut down not only from the Hamaoka and Ikata NPPs but also all nuclear power stations.