#Radioactive Japan: Boy-Wonder Mayor of Osaka City Wants Spent Fuel Storage in Osaka City, "It's Only Fair"

For the increasingly tired- and petulant-looking boy-wonder mayor aka Toru Hashimoto, inflicting pain and anguish on Osaka City residents by burning disaster debris with heavy metals, asbestos, and radioactive materials in the city he governs is not enough. Now he wants spent fuel from reactors in Fukui Prefecture's "Nuclear Ginza" to be stored inside the city, and all he needs is the assurance from the national government that it is safe to do so.

From Osaka's MBS News (4/27/2013):

使用済み核燃料　「保管を検討」と橋下市長

Mayor Hashimoto will "consider storing" spent nuclear fuel [in Osaka City]

福井県の西川知事が、使用済み核燃料を、電力を消費している地域で貯蔵するのはどうかと発言したのに対し、大阪市の橋下市長が、安全性が確保されるなら保管を検討すると述べました。

In response to Fukui Governor Nishikawa's remark that the areas that consume electricity should store spent nuclear fuel, Mayor Hashimoto of Osaka City said he would consider storing it if the safety is ensured.

　全国で唯一稼働している大飯原発を抱える福井県の西川知事が、使用済み核燃料について「電力を消費してきた大都市で、一時的に貯蔵することを考えてみてはどうか」と発言し、保管場所に火力発電所などを挙げていました。

Fukui Prefecture is where Ooi Nuclear Power Plant is located, which is the only one in operation in Japan at this time. Governor Nishikawa has said about spent nuclear fuel, "Big cities have been consuming electricity [produced by the nuclear power plants in Fukui Prefecture]. How about storing the spent fuel temporarily in these cities?" He has suggested thermal power plants as candidate locations for spent fuel storage.

　これに対し大阪市の橋下市長は、安全性が確認できれば受け入れる考えを示しました。

Mayor Hashimoto of Osaka City says he would accept spent fuel if the safety is assured.

「消費地で使用済みの核燃料を保管するというのは、当然だと思いますね。国の安全の基準がどうなのか、枠組みを作ってもらえれば。そういう方向性でいくということであれば、僕が市民に説明していきますけどね」（大阪市・橋下徹市長）

"I think it is only fair that the areas that consume electricity should store spent nuclear fuel. I wonder what the national safety standard is, but as long as the framework is there, and if that's the direction, I will explain to the city residents."

　橋下市長の発言は、電力消費地としての責任を述べたものとみられますが、突然の発言に波紋を呼びそうです。

Mayor Hashimoto's remark is considered to be about the responsibility of municipalities that consume electricity, but his abrupt remark is likely to cause a stir.

Just as burning the disaster debris in the middle of large cities (often in the middle of residential areas, as is the case in Tokyo) doesn't make any sense, storing spent fuel "temporarily" in large cities just because these cities consume more electricity doesn't make any sense. But this is post-Fukushima Japan where sense has totally lost its place.

Japan does not have the final disposal site for the spent nuclear fuel. You know what happens to all these "temporary" storages - they will become effectively permanent.

As for the boy-wonder's so-called explanation, if it is the same as he "explained" about the disaster debris burning to worried and incensed residents, it will be nothing but declaration that he will accept spent fuel in Osaka City.

Tweet