Nuclear Problem in Wakayama
Masayo Matsuura
Rinako Okazaki• In 1967 Nuclear power plant issues began to emerge inWakayama• the miunicipal councils of Three districts (Hidaka, Koza andNachikatsuura) decided to try to attract nuclear power plants
to their district.
• This decision was made with no public consulation, so manypeople became suspicious when land was bought up.
• At that time, protests were raised, mainly by fishfolk andmothers.

Hidaka and Nachikastuura• Local communities did not at first know anything about nuclearpower plants.
• Taiji,one of the districts neighboring the two pro‐nuclear districts
made a resolution to oppose nuclear construction.
• People from a women's group in Taiji went to the neighboring
districts to hand out leaflets explaning the dangers of nuclear pwerplants.
• Residents attended lectures by enguneers who had studied nuclear
eergy in the US and ordered science journals and tried to learn asmuch as posssible.

Hidaka and Nachikastuura• They realized that hot waste water from nuclear plants has a severe
impact on fish and the 2km area surrounding nuclear plants isextremely dangerous.
• Tehy bcame strongly opposed. Especially, mothers who wanted tomake sure their children could enjoy unspoilt blue sky, beautiful seaand mountain.
• Tehy formed a group and distributed leaflets and raised funds fortheir activities.
• Over a period of four years, the local concil resolutions changed frombeing pro‐nuclear to anti‐ nuclear.

Hikigawa• In 1976,there energed an indirect plant to attract a nuclear power
plant when the Hikigawa district local council decided to sell land itowned to Kansai Electric power Company (Kanden)• In Aprilof that yeara request to asscess the land for the constructionof the plant was received, but in July there was an election abd theresidents managed to get an anti‐nuclear mayor elected.

Hidaka• The tension regarding the nuclear power plant was rising, thefishermen remained non‐committal,not engaging in protest activities.
• in 1978, their wives, however,formed a women's group against thenuclear power plant.
• They collected 300 supporting signaturesfrom residents if the coastalarea.
• In March 1979 Three Mile Island (TMI) nuclear accident occurred.
• under the circumstances, Hidaka concil had no choice, they had toput the nuclear plan on temporary hold.

After the TMInuclear accident• Anti‐nuclear movement spread from just local affected areas to largerareas.
• In 1981, a Wakayama prefecture‐wide group was formed. This enable
all of the local group to engage in negitiations with the prefectural
government to gether.
• The pro ‐nuclear camp was not giving up.
• In 1980, at their request the national goverment issued a saftey
declaration and Hidaka Concil, using this asan endorsement, restarted
activities to build a nuclear power plant.

The fising union had problems• wakayama Prefectual government changed its policy.
• It used to be very supportive of the Three principlles on nuclear
power plants which are to ensure safety, location suitability andagreement of residents.
• The fishing union incident started when it was revealed that it was indebt of close to 1 billion yen due to dubious financial dealings.
• It was also revealed that kanDen had deposited 300 million yen in theFshing Union's bank account.

Hidaka and KanDen• KanDen set up offices near the candidate sites and every day three tofive employees would make individual visits in the town to convince
people that the nuclear power plant would be good idea.
• They also offered residents all expenses‐ paid trips ti observe nuclear
power plants in other prefectures.
• n the name of ' stable electricity supply ' in the energy crisis thenational, and prefectural government, together withe KanDen tried todestroy community democracy.
• But the anti‐ nuclear fishermen in Hidaka managed to weather thesestorms and protect the sea.

Wakayama Governor• At the begining og 1986 the Wakayama Govrnor announced theresults of the prefectural nuclear power research project team.
• A pamphlet was put together to advertise nuclear power as useful topromote the local economy and industries.
• In answer to the prefecture's 'rose colored pamhlet ' the anti‐nuyclear
citizin's group printed 3000 pamhlets titled ' When the roses die:thedream s and realities of nuclear power'

The Chernobyl nuclear accident happend.
• In 1986 The Chernobly nuclear accident happend.
• It seemed that wakayama's rose‐ colored pamhlet was completed but
it was never distributed.
• However, Hikigawa ansd Hidaka were quick to endorse theconstruction of a nuclear power plant.
• In january, the governor announced that ' Japanese nuclear reactors
are safe' and that he supported theconstruction od a nuclear palnt inWakayama in order to stimulate the economy.
• Even though the rest of the world was reconsidering their nuclear
programs, wakayama was moving full speed ahead towards nuclear.

Hikigawa and Hidaka• In 1988, 2years after Chernobly, The fishing union was forced to holdits annual general meeting.
• Fishermen, unfazed By the money. courageously refused to agree tothe survey.
• It was boundless strength of the fishermen, who had been fighting
the nuclear plant for more than 20 years, which made their campaign
before the AGM possible.
• Women managed to getthe majority of the residents to sign a petition.
• More than 20 years struggle was brought ti a successfulconclusion.

The land which had beenbought to build the nuclear
power plant became a park