Overview
- Ogasawara Mayor Masaaki Shibuya said he is willing to let the government assess Minamitori Island for deep disposal of high-level radioactive waste, while seeking firm assurances the site has not been preselected.
- Local leaders heard four briefings in March from the Trade Ministry and the Nuclear Waste Management Organization that explained the survey steps and disposal method.
- The local administration is expected to approve the ministry’s request for a preliminary study soon, according to a Nikkei report cited by The Straits Times, which has not been officially confirmed.
- If the study begins, Minamitori would be the fourth candidate site after Suttsu and Kamoenai in Hokkaido and Genkai in Saga, and it is distinct because it has no civilian residents and falls under Tokyo’s jurisdiction.
- Japan is leaning back into nuclear power to cut fossil-fuel use, yet where to store spent fuel remains politically sensitive due to fears about environmental harm and reputational damage for host communities.