WATCHED BY JAPANESE POLICE ,GREENPEACE SHIP 'ARCTIC SUNRISE' AND INFLATABLES PROTEST IN UCHIURA BAY, BESIDE THE TAKAHAMA NUCEAR PLANT
Amidst protests from Greenpeace and Japanese citizens' groups,
the British nuclear freighter Pacific Pintail, accompanied by a
large armed Japanese coast guard contingent, arrived this morning
at the Takahama nuclear reactor, on the Sea of Japan. The Pintail,
which docked at 08:00 hrs, is due to pick up a cargo of rejected
plutonium MOX manufactured by the discredited nuclear company
British Nuclear Fuels (BNFL).
Greenpeace is seeking an interim injunction in the High Court in
London to prevent the shipment leaving Takahama. The High Court
yesterday set a time of 10.30am UK time today (18:30 hours tonight
Japan time) to hear the case. Greenpeace said it trusted that BNFL
would not load the cargo or sail from Takahama before the outcome
of the case was known.
The empty Pintail was escorted by 12 Japanese coastguard
vessels, including one large armed coastguard ship into the small
bay of Takahama, past the Greenpeace protest ship, Arctic Sunrise,
which itself was surrounded by five coastguard inflatables.
Greenpeace, Green Action from the local area of Kansai and Citizens
Groups from Takahama and nearby Obama protested on
the pier at the entrance into the bay and held large banners in
English and Japanese saying ~BNFL Never Again".
Two protest inflatables were deployed by Greenpeace and 12 kites
on one string with "Stop Plutonium" were flown next to the nuclear
convoy as it entered the bay. A further nine coastguard and riot
police inflatables protected the PNTL ship?s journey to the
dockside at the Takahama Nuclear Power Plant.
The Pintail is due to load two nuclear transport casks during
the next six hours, one of which will be loaded with eight fuel
assemblies of rejected MOX, containing 255 kilograms of
weapons-usable plutonium. BNFL only delivered the MOX to Japan in
1999 against worldwide protest, but were later forced to admit that
they had deliberately falsified vital quality control data for the
MOX fuel pellets, including passing fuel that should have been
rejected.
The Japanese Government and the owners of the faulty MOX, Kansai
Electric, demanded that it be shipped back to the UK. BNFL and the
British Government finally agreed, hoping that it will restore the
shattered commercial relationship with Japan, and that new large
MOX fuel contracts would be signed. BNFL two years ago set aside
nearly US$200 million as compensation to Japan and to cover the
transport costs involved in this shipment.
"BNFL believe that with the return of this rejected dangerous
plutonium MOX that it will be given the green light to massive
business contracts with Japan. Far from it - the plutonium program
in Japan is in disarray, with not one gram of plutonium used in a
reactor despite four plutonium shipments in the last ten years.
Opposition is growing stronger to Japan's plans to use thousands of
kilograms of plutonium as nuclear reactor fuel. The arrival today
of the Pacific Pintail has only helped to mobilize further that
opposition," said Kazue Suzuki of Greenpeace Japan.
Greenpeace opposition to this shipment and Japan's plutonium
program is based upon environmental, safety and security concerns.
The risk of catastrophic accident such as fire or collision
involving the Pacific Pintail and release of its cargo of plutonium
into the environment is all the greater given the failure of
Britain or Japan to conduct a thorough environmental impact
assessment as required by international law. In recent days it has
been revealed that the Pacific Pintail and Teal are suffering from
corrosion that threatens their structural safety. BNFL have refused
to release details. The Japanese Government only learnt about this
latest problem after news reports.
Security concerns are a major issue to countries along the tens
of thousands of kilometers between Japan and the UK. The ships are
slow, lightly armed and vulnerable to armed attack. The plutonium
contained in this one cargo is sufficient for 50 nuclear weapons if
stolen, and could be turned into a giant radiological weapon or
'dirty-bomb'. In June, prompted by fears over this shipment, the 34
governments in the Organization of American States led by
nations
in the Caribbean called for a security review of the dangers
posed by nuclear sea transports.
Beyond the specific shipment, Greenpeace is opposed to Japan's
plans to burn plutonium MOX in its commercial reactors. Loading
plutonium MOX into reactors that were not designed to use
plutonium increases the risk of accident and that when the
accident occurs it will be more deadly. Japan has already acquired
more weapons-usable plutonium than any 'non-nuclear country' in the
world. Its stockpile of plutonium is set to soar to over 145,000
kilograms by 2020. As little as five kilograms is sufficient for
one advanced nuclear weapon. Recent statements from senior Japanese
Government officials and politicians have raised genuine fears that
Japan could become a nuclear weapon state.
Additional protests from Japanese citizens groups from
throughout Japan are planned for later in the day before the
Pintail leaves Takahama for the Sea of Japan. Outside Japanese
territorial waters the Pintail will meet up with its armed escort
the British flagged nuclear freighter, Pacific Teal. The most
direct route to the Pacific Ocean is via the Korea Straits, however
the South Korean Government and environmental groups are opposed to
the shipment using this route. The incident off the Korean coast
last weekend involving North Korea have also raised additional
fears for the safety of the plutonium shipment.
"BNFL is about to begin its most controversial nuclear transport
in its long and troubled history. It will be opposed along its
entire route by Governments and ordinary citizens terrified at the
prospect of accident or deliberate attack. Whichever route is
announced, the South Pacific or South America, or even the Panama
Canal/Caribbean Sea, this plutonium shipment exposes the
contempt the British and Japanese Government have for the
environment, public health and real security," said Tom Clement
senior nuclear campaigner of Greenpeace International, on board the
Arctic Sunrise.
Greenpeace believes that after the original mistake was made of
shipping the MOX fuel to Japan in 1999, it should have been treated
as nuclear waste, immobilized and stored in Japan.
VVPR info: Photographs are available from John Novis, Greenpeace International Photo Desk +31 65 381 9121 Video is available from Mim Lowe, Greenpeace International Video Desk +31 20 5249 543