Green Action Work – May 2022 ~ April 2023

Commonly referred to as the pluthermal program, Japan has plans to commercially burn MOX (mixed plutonium uranium oxide) fuel in 16 to 18 nuclear power plants by 2010. The program, however, is way behind schedule and yet to begin. MOX utilization was initially to take place in Fukui, Fukushima, and Niigata Prefectures. However, at this time, all plans to load MOX fuel in these regions have been temporarily suspended, and opposition to implementation of the pluthermal program remains strong. NIIGATA PREFECTURE: Kariwa’s ‘No to MOX’ Referendum Result Remains Unchanged May 27, 2002 marked the first anniversary of a referendum in Kariwa village, Niigata Prefecture, in which a majority of residents…

Saga Citizens and Consumer Organizations Protest Arrival of MOX Fuel Shipment Japan Should Terminate MOX (plutonium and uranium) Fuel, and Rokkasho Reprocessing Programs For immediate release: May 23, 2009 Contact: Aileen Mioko Smith(Green Action) +81-90-3620-9251 Philip White (Citizens’ Nuclear Information Center) +81-3-3357-3800 May 23rd (Tokyo and Kyoto)—Today, at 6:45 am, amidst citizen protest, the British-flagged vessels the Pacific Pintail and Pacific Heron arrived at the port of Kyushu Electric’s Genkai Nuclear Power Plant and unloaded 20 assemblies of MOX fuel for Genkai Unit 3. The nuclear power plant is scheduled to be the first to use MOX fuel on a commercial scale in Japan. The plan is that the fuel…

Tokyo Electric Scandal Update Number 17Date: October 26, 2002 Contents: METI to order one year shutdown of Fukushima Dai-Ichi Unit 1 Operation status of TEPCO reactors Leaked documents reveal alpha nuclide emissions from Fukushima Dai-Ichi Unit 1 & 2 between 1979 and 1981 Tokyo Electric Scandal Update Number 16Date: October 11, 2002 Contents: Aomori governor threatens to halt SNF imports Fukushima legislature passes motion declaring: "Pluthermal Program will not be implemented in Fukushima" Tokyo Electric announces damaged CRDM guide tubes in Fukushima Dai-Ichi Unit 4 reactor Tokyo Electric Scandal Update Number 15Date: October 9, 2002 Contents: (1) Fukushima governor meets Prime Minister Koizumi and calls for reconsideration of nuclear fuel…

Plutonium Shipment to Depart Japan for United States – Exposes Failure Of Global Reprocessing Programs March 22nd 2016, Tokyo…The shipment of weapons-grade plutonium at the port of Tokai, Ibaraki prefecture departing later today, exposes the failure of global plutonium reprocessing programs and the threat from current Japanese nuclear policy, five non-governmental organizations charged today.(1) The cargo of 331kg of plutonium was loaded on to the Pacific Egret, an armed British nuclear transport ship, after it arrived at Tokai at 08.00 March 21st. Armed Japanese coastguard vessels, including the Shikishima, are outside the port and are expected to escort the plutonium shipment while inside Japanese coastal waters. The shipment is being…

Japan’s Worst Pollution Disaster MINAMATA DISEASE:　Mercury poisoning from industrial waste Will Prime Minister Taro Aso’s Government Ram Through Bill Shutting off Relief for Minamata Disease Victims? For immediate release: 29 June 2009 Contact: Aileen Mioko Smith Cell: +81-75-701-7223 (Press conference in Japanese at 16:00 today in Nagata-cho area. Location to be determined.) Tokyo, Japan—-A delegation of wheelchair-bound congenital Minamata disease victims is arriving in Tokyo this morning seeking a meeting with Yukio Hatoyama and the Minshuto (Democratic Party of Japan) leadership in a last minute effort to halt passage of a Minamata disease bill which will have devastating effects on relief for victims. It was reported in the media yesterday…

Lawsuits / Webinars / Submissions / Symposiums / Booklets / Leaflets / Protest Statements The January 1, 2024 Noto Peninsula Earthquake proved yet again that Japan must rid itself of nuclear power reactors In 2003, Noto Peninsula citizens won a hard-fought 28-year battle to stop a nuclear power plant complex from being built in Suzu town, located on the tip of Noto Peninsula. On January 1,2024, Suzu suffered a devastating earthquake. The land around the proposed site elevated 2 meters. Over the years, Green Action was part of the movement to stop the siting of this plant. On February 19th, Green Action organized this press conference at the Foreign Correspondents’…