"The start of the Rokkasho operations is a disaster for nuclear
non-proliferation efforts. Japan has no peaceful use for its
plutonium, yet it already owns 45 tonnes. The approval by the
Governor of Aomori has condemned the people he represents in
northern Japan to radioactive contamination and the risk of
catastrophic accident.The threat from this facility is of global
significance - it has taken North-east Asia closer to a nuclear
arms race," said Atsuko Nogawa of Greenpeace.
The Rokkasho-mura reprocessing plant, which will separate
plutonium from nuclear spent fuel belonging to nuclear electric
companies, received final approval from the Governor of the Aomori
Prefecture on 29 March. The cost of construction has ballooned to
around USD 21 billion, while estimated costs for full operation
over the next decades has been estimated at over USD 100
billion.
Rokkasho is planned to reprocess up to 800 tonnes of spent fuel
each year of operation. This would yield 7-8 tonnes of plutonium.
Around 5 kilograms would be sufficient for one nuclear weapon.
Estimates suggest Japan may possess as much as 100 tonnes of
plutonium by 2020 (2).
Plans by Japanese utilities to use plutonium fuel (MOX)
collapsed during the late 1990's and are now due to begin in the
period 2008-2010. Despite recent approvals to use plutonium by
smaller utilities (Chubu and Kyushu), Japan's largest electric
companies, Tokyo Electric and Kansai Electric remain blocked from
using plutonium MOX fuel due to public and political opposition
following scandals and accidents. While Japan's plans to use
plutonium have collapsed it has continued to acquire more and more
plutonium through reprocessing contracts with UK and French
facilities (3).
A Greenpeace commissioned study has calculated that global
radiation doses to humans from Rokkasho releases are likely to be
similar in magnitude to the collective dose from the Chernobyl
disaster whose 20th anniversary falls in April 2006 (4).The
Rokkasho-mura reprocessing plant will discharge millions of litres
of nuclear waste every day into the Pacific Ocean and millions of
cubic meters of radioactive gases into the atmosphere.
"Reprocessing is a daily nuclear accident due to the massive
discharges of nuclear waste authorised by government agencies which
have no regard for public health or the wider environment. For
decades the people of Aomori, around Japan and overseas have warned
against the dangers from this facility," said Shaun Burnie of
Greenpeace. "It is already suffering radioactive leaks, and is
almost certain to suffer further safety and technical problems if
not accidents. Every new nuclear project in Japan in recent years
has ended in failure, and Rokkasho is likely to be no different but
at a terrible cost."
Other contacts: Atsuko Nogawa – Nuclear Campaigner, Greenpeace Japan +81-80-5088-3048Shaun Burnie – Nuclear Campaigner, Greenpeace International +44 -77-2591-5873
Notes: 1 – Reprocessing or separation of the first spent fuel at Rokkasho is expected on Friday morning. In the first 12 month ‘test phase’ 430 tons of fuel is to be reprocessed, yielding around 3-4 tons of plutonium. Full commercial operation is planned for June 2007.2 – Despite denials from Japanese industry and government, plutonium produced in nuclear reactors is classified at the highest Category 1 nuclear material by the IAEA, capable of being used in either crude or advanced nuclear weapons. With further delays in Japan’s plans for using plutonium MOX fuel, Greenpeace International estimates indicate between 90-110 tons of plutonium could be acquired by 2020. The Japanese government official policy is not to acquire a stockpile of plutonium due to its proliferation risks. North Korea is considered to have around 50 kilograms of plutonium at most, while Iran has none.3 – Reprocessing has proven expensive and controversial in Europe leading to bankruptcy of the UK nuclear industry in 2002 and a phasing out of reprocessing business with Areva by Germany, Belgium and Switzerland. The UK plant at Sellafield, THORP, hailed as key to the future of the UK nuclear industry in the early 1990’s has never operated to schedule. The plant has been closed since April 2004 following the leakage of highly radioactive waste. Its future remains uncertain.4 - “Estimated Radionuclide Releases and Collective Doses from the Rokkasho Reprocessing Facility”, March 2006, by UK radiation scientist Dr Ian Fairlie is available on request.