Press Conference

On Shaky Ground: Japan’s Nuclear Power Policy
and the Noto Peninsula
Monday, February 19, 2024, 14:00–15:00

Aileen Mioko Smith
Executive Director, Green Action
Kyoto, Japan
amsmith@gol.com

Speakers’presentation &referencematerials

Japan: Seismically Active + Nuclear Plants
Japan alone has both high earthquake risk AND nuclear plants nationwide.

Graphic: Jenny Ridley, the Guardian
Most reactors built in Japan from 1970 to 1985.

“This is a plantbuilt on tofu.”

Kashiwazaki-Kariwa is Vulnerable
The largest nuclear plant in the world is under earthquake risk.
Kashiwazaki-Kariwa is, by net electricity power rating, the largest nuclear station in the world. Stored spent fuel: 2,370 tons/UCitizens have opposed its construction since 1968.
Previous earthquakes: October 2004 Niigata Chūetsu Earthquake, M6.8; July 2007 Niigata Chūetsu-Oki Earthquake, M6.8

By IAEA Imagebank - 04780017, CC BY-SA 2.0,
https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=58287273

CITIZENS:

Niigata Chūetsu-oki Magnitude 6.8 Earthquake
July 2007: Largest quake on record to hit an operating nuclear power plant inproximity. Seismic motion: 4X the design basis of the plant’s structure.

“Above design basis”:
Earthquake caused aground protuberance atthe plant site.

“Last Warning”“This is the last warning before
a nuclear disaster brought onby an earthquake.”
Katsuhiko ISHIBASHI, seismologist“The plant is built on tofu.
We have opposed construction
since 1968.”
Kazuyuki TAKEMOTO, Kariwa legislator
The warning was unheeded by the Japanese media,
the government, and Tepco.
FCCJ press conference two days after Niigata
Chūetsu-Oki Earthquake (July 2007)

新指針に基づき事業者が中間報告書等において評価した断層
原子力安全・保安院が同時活動を考慮するよう指示した断層
中間報告書等の提出以降に変更された箇所
活断層として評価していない断層
地震調査研究推進本部による鍛冶屋断層以南の断層

Fukui, Wakasa Bay Earthquake Faults※なお、和布−干飯崎沖断層、甲楽城断層、柳ヶ瀬断層及び鍛冶屋断層〜関ヶ原断層について念のため同時活動を考慮する

Half of Japan’s currently operating reactors
are in Fukui.
若狭湾

美浜発電所から半径 30km
もんじゅから半径 30km
敦賀発電所から半径 30km

ih

M
am

⑦白木−丹生断層

a ⑧C断層のkTa

Noto Peninsula Earthquake, M7.5
January 1, 2024

敦賀発電所

O

美浜発電所

aam

hiah

⑫三方断層

高浜発電所

-④ウツロギ峠北方−池河内断層⑤浦底−内池見断層

もんじゅ

大飯発電所

山中断層

醍醐断層
大清水断層

高浜発電所から半径 30km

門前断層

琵琶湖

Interim Summary of Evaluation on Active Faults (Draft)
Source: Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency (NISA)
August, 31, 2009

大飯発電所から半径 30km

020km

（注）敷地から半径約30kmの範囲の主な断層について図示している。

図1 若狭湾周辺の主な断層の分布

美浜発電所から半径 30
もんじゅから半敦賀

Tsuruga Peninsula Fault Lines
若狭湾

Mihama and Tsuruga nuclear power plants,
Monju, and Fugen (spent fuel)
uTs
garu

“We are very worried about the groundrising from under at Mihama. Just like it
did at Noto. January 1st shook so hard,
I was thinking we were having adisaster at Mihama.

⑧C断層

敦賀発電所

aamihM

もんじゅ

大飯-⑫三方断層

Masaru ISHIJI
February 2, 2024 petitioning the NRA in at
the Diet O ce Building, Tokyoju

美浜発電所

on

M

“Chūetsu-Oki showed the danger of ground motion.
Fukushima made us realize nuclear power plants were notprepared for tsunamis. What we need to learn from Noto is
protuberance (the ground rising). It’s crustal movement, i.e.
the ground goes up, or down. NPPs regulation does not takethis into consideration.”ffi⑦白木−丹生山中断層④ウツ⑤浦底２０２０
年12月5日︵土︶読売新聞

Osaka District Court Nulli es NRA Approvalof Ohi Unit 3 and 4 Restart (Dec. 4, 2020)

fifi

Ruling Reveals Failure in NRA’s Post-Fukushima
Earthquake Safety Regime

Lawsuit led by 127 residents in
11 prefectures including Fukui.
Case has implications for all
restarts post-Fukushima

Citizens petition NRA:

“Stop Reactors andDo Not Approve
Restarts Until Noto
Findings Are Finalized”
February 2, 2024

Even After the Noto Peninsula Earthquake, Government Decides
to Maintain the Status Quo with Risky Nuclear Power

ffi

Citizens living near Kashiwazaki-Kariwa, Shika, Mihama, Ohi, Takahama, Onagawa, andTokai Daini petitioning NRA. (“Urgent Action: Giving Voice to the Local Communities Living
Near Nuclear Power Plants” February 2, 2024, Lower House Number One O ce Building)Shinsuke Yamanaka
Chair, Nuclear Regulation Authority(NRA), January 10, 2024 press
conferencefiWhile new ndings from Noto earthquake are being
investigated: NRA Chair states nuclear power operation and restart
application approval reviews will continue to move forward as usual.
fifi“We expect that it willtake a considerable
number of years until
the new ndings arenalized.”Government Inaction After the Noto Peninsula Earthquake:
Ignoring De ciencies in Emergency Planning“Basically, there are only
two ways to protect
against radiation
exposure: evacuationand sheltering in place.”
NRA committee member comment,
February 14, 2024
fi

Booklet issued to citizens — Sheltering during a nuclear accident.

Populations within 30km
(Evacuation Zone) of Nuclear
Power Plants“Nuts torestart
Shimane.”Gregory Jaczko
Former Chair, US Nuclear
Regulatory Commission (NRC)

Kashiwazaki-Kariwa 432,800(PAZ：19,300

UPZ：413,500）2021-4-1

Shika 163,547(PAZ：4,145

UPZ：159,402）2014-9-1

MIhama 278,892(PAZ：848

UPZ：278,044）2020-4-1

Ohi 155,236(PAZ：984

Gregory Jaczko’s responsewhen asked about plans forrestarting Shimane Nuclear
Power Plant in light of thefact there are approximately
450,000 people living within
30km.
Speech on emergency
preparedness. Chugoku Area
Bar Association Annual
Meeting, October 9, 2015.

UPZ：154,252）2019-4-1

Takahama 167,751(PAZ：8,197

UPZ：159,554）2019-4-1

Shimane 457,496(PAZ：9,487

UPZ：448,009）2020-12

Onawaga 188,556(PAZ：948

UPZ：187,608）2023-4-1

Tokai Daini 916,510(PAZ：64,451

UPZ：852,059）2020

Union of Kansai Governments’ Nuclear Accident Evacuation Plan

Ohi Nuclear Site andTown Residents
If road is blocked by quake damage,the only remaining routes are byhelicopter or sea.

Mihama Nuclear Site

ffResidents live so close they can hearon-site announcements.
Limited exits o peninsula.
Summer has additional tourists at
Suisho Hama overlooking reactors.t O
E 1 ::1

２０
１２
年
５月
２
６日
京都
新聞(京都版︶
一面

Kansai Region
Vulnerable to Fukui
Reactors
Kyoto Prefectures 10 Cities and Towns—Indoor Evacuation (Sheltering)
Kyoto Shimbun (front page) May 26, 2012

Kansai Region
Vulnerable to Fukui
Reactors
Governor: “The radioactive plumewould arrive in Kobe in 2 hours.”
Kobe Shimbun, April 26, 2013

Citizens from 49 countries petition Kyoto City:“Save Japan’s Cultural Treasures from Radiation”

311Candlenight
Commemorating Fukushima — the Ongoing Accident

ffMarch 11, 2024 at 7:03pm — nationwide
The Declaration of Nuclear Emergency issued 13 years ago, March 11th at 7:03pm, remains in e ect.

Speakers’
presentation &referencematerials