PM Noda on Tsuruga Nuke Plant Reactor 2: "Decommissioning Likely, But Up to the Operator"

Much like the voluntary halt on shipment of produce that has tested with radioactive cesium exceeding the national standard. It's up to the producer to abide by the halt, and no government agency is there to enforce it.

From Mainichi Shinbun (12/14/2012):

野田佳彦首相は１３日夜のＴＢＳ番組で、原子炉建屋直下に活断層がある可能性が高まった日本原子力発電敦賀原発２号機（福井県）について「そういうこと（廃炉）になっていく」との見通しを示した。首相は「原子力規制委員会が『安全上問題がある』ということなら、稼働させない。事業者の判断で廃炉にすることになる」と述べ、自主的な判断を促した。

In a TBS TV program on December 13 evening, Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda commented on Reactor 2 at Tsuruga Nuclear Power Plant operated by Japan Atomic Power (in Fukui Prefecture), saying "It (decommissioning) will be likely". Prime Minister said, "If the Nuclear Regulatory Authority says there is a safety problem, I will not allow the operation. It will be decommissioned, on the decision by the operator", prompting Japan Atomic Power to decide voluntarily.

In the meanwhile, the same set of geologists and seismologists who unanimously agreed on the possibility of an active fault under the reactor building at Tsuruga Nuke Plant is now in Aomori, studying the trenches dug by Tohoku Electric Power Company at Higashidori Nuclear Power Plant to determine whether the four faults there are active. According to Mainichi, Dr. Shimazaki, who is heading the experts, says what Tohoku Electric calls "swelling" may be due to the active fault.

I do suspect the days of the Nuclear Regulatory Authority may be numbered, particularly when I read LDP may win more than 280 seats in the coming election, and their findings will be nullified.

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