FUKUI (Kyodo) -- The science ministry said Friday it has decided to postpone a trial run of the trouble-hit Monju prototype fast-breeder reactor in Fukui Prefecture to allay public concern over its safety in the wake of the nuclear crisis at the Fukushima Daiichi power plant.
"We will forgo the 40 percent output trial we were planning during the current fiscal year to dispel public concern about the safety of the Monju reactor," Kanji Fujiki, head of the ministry's Research and Development Bureau, told Fukui Gov. Issei Nishikawa during a meeting about the ministry's budget request for the next fiscal year related to the reactor.
Separately, Fujiki also met with Kazuharu Kawase, mayor of Tsuruga, which hosts the Monju reactor, to convey the same message.
In the meetings, Fujiki said the recent resumption of discussions on reviewing the nation's nuclear policy guidelines, which were suspended following the Fukushima complex disaster, and the start of talks on formulating a new national energy policy lay behind the postponement.
"We need to carry out safety assessments and study measures to deal with severe accidents to improve safety," he said.
Nishikawa requested that the Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Ministry take the initiative in discussions within the government, indicating that he wishes to see the country stay on its existing course.
The Monju reactor and related research have been regarded as key to realizing the country's nuclear fuel cycle, in which spent nuclear fuel from power plants would be reprocessed for reuse as plutonium-uranium mixed oxide, or MOX, fuel.
Tsuruga Mayor Kawase, a strong advocate of the Monju project, told Fujiki, "The postponement is quite sad but inevitable. I believe that it will take time to ensure additional safety."
The reactor project, on which the country has so far spent around 900 billion yen, has been hobbled by a series of problems. The reactor first achieved criticality in 1994 but was shut down because of a sodium coolant leakage and resulting fire in 1995.
The reactor resumed operation in May 2010 after being idled for 14 years and five months, but after experiencing trouble in August that year, the launch of full operations was delayed.
(Mainichi Japan) October 1, 2011
Showing posts with label Fukui. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Fukui. Show all posts
Saturday, October 1, 2011
Saturday, May 21, 2011
20/05 福井知事、原発の再稼働認めず「県民の安全が優先」
2011年5月20日15時2分
福井県の西川一誠知事は２０日、朝日新聞の単独インタビューに応じ、定期検査などで停止中の県内の原子力発電所の再稼働について「夏場の電力不足も想定されるが、県民の安全性の確保を優先する」と述べ、関西などにおける電力需給を考慮しても現時点で再稼働は認めない姿勢を示した。
菅直人首相はすでに安全が確認されているとして各地の原発の再稼働を認める方針を示しているが、西川知事は「国が示した緊急安全対策は津波対策に偏っている。地震の揺れの影響が検証されていない」とし、県の要請を反映した暫定的な安全基準を国が設けることを再稼働の条件に挙げた。
福井県内は、関西電力の１１基と日本原子力発電の２基という国内最多の商業用原発が立地し、関西の消費電力の５５％を供給する。６基が検査のため停止し、７月にはさらに２基が定期検査に入る見通しで、福井県の対応が注目されている。
西川知事はさらにインタビューで、福島第一原発の１～６号機がいずれも運転開始から３０年を超えていたと指摘し、「原発を動かしたいなら、国は高経年化（老朽化）原発の安全基準を示すべきだ」と述べた。福井県内では８基の原発が３０年以上経過している。（足立耕作、笹川翔平）
福井県の西川一誠知事は２０日、朝日新聞の単独インタビューに応じ、定期検査などで停止中の県内の原子力発電所の再稼働について「夏場の電力不足も想定されるが、県民の安全性の確保を優先する」と述べ、関西などにおける電力需給を考慮しても現時点で再稼働は認めない姿勢を示した。
菅直人首相はすでに安全が確認されているとして各地の原発の再稼働を認める方針を示しているが、西川知事は「国が示した緊急安全対策は津波対策に偏っている。地震の揺れの影響が検証されていない」とし、県の要請を反映した暫定的な安全基準を国が設けることを再稼働の条件に挙げた。
福井県内は、関西電力の１１基と日本原子力発電の２基という国内最多の商業用原発が立地し、関西の消費電力の５５％を供給する。６基が検査のため停止し、７月にはさらに２基が定期検査に入る見通しで、福井県の対応が注目されている。
西川知事はさらにインタビューで、福島第一原発の１～６号機がいずれも運転開始から３０年を超えていたと指摘し、「原発を動かしたいなら、国は高経年化（老朽化）原発の安全基準を示すべきだ」と述べた。福井県内では８基の原発が３０年以上経過している。（足立耕作、笹川翔平）
Thursday, April 14, 2011
0804 原発１４基が立地…福井の観光地“敬遠”相次ぐ
東京電力福島第１原発の事故後、１４基の原発が立地する福井県南部（嶺南地方）を訪れる観光客が減少している。日本海を望む風光明媚（めいび）な自然に豊かな海の幸、歴史ある寺院など観光資源に恵まれているが、観光自粛ムードに原発立地地域を敬遠する傾向が加わり、宿泊キャンセルが続出、新規予約も入らない状況が続いている。
国の名勝、三方五湖を観光エリアとする若狭町の若狭三方五湖観光協会によると、３月１１日から約１週間で、同町の民宿やホテル、観光施設で７００人以上が宿泊や会食をキャンセル。震災直後は津波への不安から沿岸の宿を敬遠する声が多かったが、今は「原発のあるところに、わざわざ行きたくない」など、理由のほとんどに原発立地が挙がっているという。新規予約も入っておらず、同協会は「これでは民宿の経営が成り立たない」と頭を抱える。
一方、今年初めて関西方面の小中学校の体験学習を受け入れる予定だった高浜町では、予定していた２校のうち私立小学校１校（約１００人）が原発立地などを理由に予定を変更。保護者から「子供たちが不安がらないか」との声が上がったためという。
Friday, April 8, 2011
04/04 yomiuri - MUSINGS
April 4, 2011
The Yomiuri Shimbun
The following is a translation of the Henshu Techo column from The Yomiuri Shimbun's April 4 issue.
* * *
It was in March 1970 that the Tsuruga Nuclear Power Plant's No. 1 reactor in Tsuruga, Fukui Prefecture, began operation as the nation's first light water reactor for commercial use.
Its launch coincided with the opening of the Japan World Exposition 1970, and electricity generated at the plant, operated by Japan Atomic Power Co., was sent to the exposition's venue in Osaka Prefecture as "atomic light."
This was during the era of Japan's rapid economic growth, a time when the entire country was brimming over with hope and vitality.
Forty-one years have passed since then, and this year marks the centenary of the birth of Taro Okamoto (1911-1996), the artist who created the "Tower of the Sun" statue known as the symbol of Expo '70.
The life of this unique artist has been showcased at exhibitions, including one at the National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo.
Okamoto was said to have disliked the overall theme of the exposition--"Progress and Harmony for Mankind"--and came up with the folkloric "Tower of the Sun" as something extravagant to contrast the other, modern structures at the exposition.
He wanted Expo '70 to be a festival that would "wake the vitality hidden deep down in the hearts of the Japanese."
Today, however, this antimodern tower appears to symbolize the period of Japan's rapid economic growth. It expresses the primary energy of mankind and is the very picture of a time when Japan was full of vigor.
The tower must be calling on Japanese who are exhausted in the aftermath of the massive quake and tsunami, saying: "Rise up, believing that you have vitality hidden deep down in your heart."
(Apr. 7, 2011)
The Yomiuri Shimbun
The following is a translation of the Henshu Techo column from The Yomiuri Shimbun's April 4 issue.
* * *
It was in March 1970 that the Tsuruga Nuclear Power Plant's No. 1 reactor in Tsuruga, Fukui Prefecture, began operation as the nation's first light water reactor for commercial use.
Its launch coincided with the opening of the Japan World Exposition 1970, and electricity generated at the plant, operated by Japan Atomic Power Co., was sent to the exposition's venue in Osaka Prefecture as "atomic light."
This was during the era of Japan's rapid economic growth, a time when the entire country was brimming over with hope and vitality.
Forty-one years have passed since then, and this year marks the centenary of the birth of Taro Okamoto (1911-1996), the artist who created the "Tower of the Sun" statue known as the symbol of Expo '70.
The life of this unique artist has been showcased at exhibitions, including one at the National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo.
Okamoto was said to have disliked the overall theme of the exposition--"Progress and Harmony for Mankind"--and came up with the folkloric "Tower of the Sun" as something extravagant to contrast the other, modern structures at the exposition.
He wanted Expo '70 to be a festival that would "wake the vitality hidden deep down in the hearts of the Japanese."
Today, however, this antimodern tower appears to symbolize the period of Japan's rapid economic growth. It expresses the primary energy of mankind and is the very picture of a time when Japan was full of vigor.
The tower must be calling on Japanese who are exhausted in the aftermath of the massive quake and tsunami, saying: "Rise up, believing that you have vitality hidden deep down in your heart."
(Apr. 7, 2011)
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