Japan Must Never Forget
Channel: OTWTE
Date: 2013-07-25

http://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/

ELECTION: PARTIES ARE DIFFERED ON NUCLEAR POLICY

Parties contesting in the July 21st Upper House election have clarified their positions on Japan's nuclear energy policy.

 All 50 of Japan's nuclear power reactors are offline except for 2 after the meltdown at the Fukushima Daiichi plant in March 2011. The country's nuclear regulator will decide whether to allow the reactors to resume based on its new safety guidelines. Four power companies applied for the early restart of 5 nuclear plants on Monday.

 The ruling Liberal Democratic Party says the government is responsible for providing a steady supply of cheap energy. It says it will make utmost effort to seek understanding of host municipalities to restart the reactors on condition the reactors pass the new safety standards.

 The party says it will reduce dependence on nuclear power generation by promoting renewable energy resources.

 New Komeito, the LDP's ruling coalition partner, says it will decide whether to restart the reactors after receiving approval from citizens and residents near the reactors. It says it will disapprove the construction of new reactors and will seek a nuclear-free society.

 The largest opposition Democratic Party says the opinions of host communities need to be taken into consideration when restarting the reactors. It says all possible measures should be used to halt all reactors in Japan by the 2030s.

 The Japan Restoration Party also seeks to reduce dependence on nuclear energy and turn all existing reactors offline by the 2030s.

 Your Party says it will also seek to reduce dependence on nuclear power by the 2020s by banning the construction of new reactors and making better use of renewable energy.

 The People's Life Party says it will oppose both the resumption of existing reactors and the construction of new ones. It says it will seek to abolish all reactors by 2022 at the latest.

 The Japanese Communist Party says it will seek to suspend the resumption of reactors and reactor exports. It is calling for a drastic shift to renewable energy.

 The Social Democratic Party opposes resumption of reactors. It says the government should work on a complete resolution of the Fukushima accident and relief of the victims first and foremost.

 Green Wind says it won't seek the resumption of reactors and plans to start decommissioning all reactors by 2023.

Jul. 9, 2013 - Updated 03:25 UTC

NUCLEAR REGULATOR BEGINS SCREENING APPLICATIONS

Japan's nuclear regulator has begun screening applications from power companies to restart nuclear reactors.

 This is the regulator's first meeting since Japan's new nuclear safety standards went into effect last week.

 Officials of the Nuclear Regulation Authority met with representatives of Kyushu Electric Power and Hokkaido Electric Power on Tuesday.

 Kyushu Electric explained the safety measures that it has put in place as part of its bid to restart the No. 1 and 2 reactors at its Sendai plant in Kagoshima Prefecture.

 The utility briefed regulators about the level of earthquakes and tsunamis it has prepared for, and said it plans to build a temporary facility to serve as a command center for an emergency task force in the case of an accident.

 Nuclear regulators pointed out areas that the inspections focus on and said they need to confirm the chain of command at the emergency task force and the number of workers the temporary facility can hold.

 They also noted that in the event of a volcanic eruption, up to 15 centimeters of ash could accumulate, so they will have to see if the utility's measures are in line with the new safety standards.

 So far, 4 utilities have submitted applications to restart reactors at 6 plants. Representatives from Shikoku Electric and Kansai Electric are scheduled to present their safety measures later in the day.

Jul. 16, 2013 - Updated 03:53 UTC

TEPCO, BEREAVED FAMILIES AGREE ON COMPENSATION

Tokyo Electric Power Company, the operator of the stricken Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, and the families of victims of the 2011 earthquake and tsunami have agreed on compensation.

 Under the government-mediated scheme, TEPCO will pay a maximum of about 6,000 dollars to family members of 173 victims in Namie Village near the nuclear plant.

 The families originally demanded that the utility pay some 110,000 dollars per victim in compensation. They argued that they suffered trauma as the nuclear accident made their search and rescue operations impossible for more than a month.

 Morihisa Kanouya, who lost his wife, is the leader of the bereaved families.

 He says he and other group members felt they had no choice but to accept the settlement. He says this will not end their pain.

Jul. 24, 2013 - Updated 12:10 UTC