Japan\u2019s Ministry of Industry is working to conduct a preliminary\nsurvey in Hitachiomiya City, Ibaraki Prefecture, as a potential site for\nthe disposal of high-level radioactive waste. The city, located near\nTokyo, is the latest candidate in the central government\u2019s efforts to\nfind a permanent storage location for nuclear waste.<\/p>\n
If the plan is accepted, Hitachiomiya would become the fifth location\nto undergo a preliminary survey. Hitachiomiya Mayor Sadayuki Suzuki has\nexpressed an open attitude towards the proposal.<\/p>\n
\u201cPersonally, I view this proposal positively. I will listen to the\nopinions of city council members before making a final decision,\u201d Suzuki\nsaid on Monday (31\/8\/2026).<\/p>\n
The process of selecting a nuclear waste disposal site in Japan\ninvolves three stages expected to last around 20 years. The first stage,\nthe preliminary survey, takes approximately two years.<\/p>\n
The central government offers significant financial compensation to\nregions willing to participate. Local governments that accept a\npreliminary survey can receive subsidies of up to 2 billion yen,\nequivalent to Rp222 billion.<\/p>\n
Hitachiomiya itself is a landlocked city with a population of around\n35,000. Based on a geological map released by the government in 2017,\nthe area is assessed as having \u201crelatively high potential suitability\u201d\nto support underground radioactive waste disposal.<\/p>\n
Although the city government has shown positive signals, the plan has\nsparked concern among local residents, particularly regarding geological\nsafety factors.<\/p>\n
\u201cI am worried about what might happen, especially with the many\nearthquakes occurring recently,\u201d said a 29-year-old resident who works\nat a local dental clinic. He urged the central government to provide\nstrong scientific evidence regarding the safety of the project.<\/p>\n
High-level nuclear waste disposal involves the process of solidifying\nliquid waste from spent nuclear fuel reprocessing into glass form. This\nwaste is then buried at a depth of more than 300 metres underground. Due\nto the extremely strong radiation, the waste must remain isolated from\nthe human population for tens of thousands of years.<\/p>\n
Hitachiomiya is the second location directly targeted by the central\ngovernment after the Ogasawara Islands (including Minamitori Island). In\naddition, several other areas are under consideration or undergoing a\nsimilar process.<\/p>\n
The search for a site often reaches a dead end due to resident\nopposition. In 2007, a city in Kochi Prefecture withdrew its survey\napplication due to public protests. A similar situation occurred in\nTsushima in September 2023, where the local mayor rejected the\npreliminary survey despite pressure from the city council.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/japan-considers-hitachiomiya-city-as-nuclear-waste-disposal-site-1788195035", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }