Japan: Citizens Respond to New Nuclear Power Policies · Global Voices
Keiko Tanaka

This post is part of our special coverage Japan Earthquake 2011.
Individuals with vested interests in nuclear power have been named to lead a regulatory commission of the Japanese government that will play crucial role in determining whether to phase out nuclear power during the 2030s and how.
While environmental groups welcome the government's statement of intent to end nuclear power in Japan before 2040, the proposal has yet to become an actual policy. Citizens are calling for commission members with a conflict of interest (including the chairman of the commission) to be declared ineligible, since business and industry lobbyists have been pushing for the deadline to be dropped.
Protestors call for the halting of all nuclear power generation in Tokyo, Japan. Image by Damon Coulter, copyright Demotix (14/09/12).
Japanese energy related ministers compiled the proposal to phase out nuclear power during the 2030s last week. Greenpeace Japan welcomed news of the suggested strategy. In a press release on September 14, 2012, they wrote:
“The government’s strategy involves a nuclear phase-out nearly two decades later than needed. It also provides clarity for the business community that renewable power, not nuclear, is the future,” said Kazue Suzuki, Greenpeace Japan nuclear campaigner.
“The government must use its new energy strategy as a starting point for a far more ambitious renewable policy, greater energy efficiency measures, and increasingly bold strides towards the sustainable green economy that will secure Japan’s future prosperity.”
The new independent nuclear regulatory commission that will help set the policy is called Nuclear Regulatory Authority (NRA). It was launched on September 19, and is headed by Shunichi Tanaka. The Japan Federation of Bar Associations, released a statement [ja] on August 3, saying that the proposed members for the commission included two candidates who represented interests that ran counter to the spirit of their task and should therefore be declared ineligible.
The international organization, Friends of the Earth Japan (FoE), also called for the replacement of those members who have vested interests in promoting nuclear power. In a press release [ja] on July 27, they offered a list of reasons why the head of the commission, Shunichi Tanaka should be dismissed:
【委員長候補】
×田中俊一（たなか　しゅんいち）氏：【原子力ムラ・不適格】
(独)日本原子力研究開発機構（旧動燃）副理事長、原子力委員長代理、原子力学会会長を歴任。
※長年にわたって「原子力ムラ」の中心で活動。
※「原子力委員会」は国の原子力推進機関。原子力事業者と秘密会合を重ねて原子力を推進するなど公正さに疑惑がもたれており、原子力委員長代理としての田中氏の行動に対する第三者による検証が必要。
※副理事長である「（独）日本原子力研究開発機構」は、政府の原発推進、核燃料サイクル推進の研究開発機関。高速増殖炉「もんじゅ」の設置主体であり、「原子力ムラ」の関係者ではなく、「当事者」。
※さらに田中氏は、原子力損害賠償紛争審査会において、「政府が避難の基準としている20mSVをゆるがすべきではない」として、最後まで自主的避難者に対しての賠償方針を策定しようとする能見会長に抵抗。審査会で決まったあとも、抗議文を読み上げ、福島の被害住民や傍聴者の怒りをかった。住民の帰還基準を20mSVと主張し、原研機構に除染利権をもたらし、自身は福島県除染アドバイザーに｡”
[His] experience includes being vice president at the Japan Atomic Energy Agency, deputy chairperson for the Atomic Energy Commission of Japan, and president of the Atomic Energy Society of Japan.
* He has been involved in the nuclear energy community for a long time.
* The Atomic Energy Commission is Japan's nuclear propulsion facility that works closely with nuclear operators, which arouses suspicion as to its fairness. Third-party inspection of Tanaka as a deputy chairperson with the Atomic Energy Commission is needed.
* The Japan Atomic Energy Agency is the research and development of government's nuclear propulsion and nuclear fuel cycle propulsion. The Fast Breeder Reactor Monju was established by JAEA.
* Tanaka insisted at the Dispute Reconciliation Committee for Nuclear Damage Compensation that no changes should be made to 20mSV standard of evacuation by the government, and resisted the chairperson Noumi Kimikazu who was formulating compensation guidelines for voluntary evacuees. After the guidelines were made, Tanaka read his protest note out loud, making victims and the audience angry. He insisted on the standard for inhabitants to return as being 20mSV. He brought decontamination interests to JAEA, and made himself an adviser for decontamination effort in Fukushima.
Supported by 116 citizen groups, FOE released an urgent statement [ja] on September 19:
私たちは、この決定は、国民の声を無視し、法の精神を踏みにじり、福島原発事故の教訓から何も学ばないものとして、強く抗議します。
私たちは、多くの市民や弁護士、国会議員のみなさまとともに、今回の人事案について下記の問題点を訴えてきました。また、のべ５万筆を超える一般市民の署名を政府に５回にわたり届けました。政府からは何ら納得のいくお答えを頂いていません。
① 「利用と規制の分離」「国民の信頼の回復」「原子力ムラの影響力の排除」の原子力規制委員会設置法の趣旨を踏みにじるもの。それどころか、原子力事業者の委員への任命は、設置法法第７条第７項、７月３日付政府ガイドライン違反
② 無責任な原子力推進行政に加担してきた田中俊一氏などを抜擢
③ 田中俊一氏は、自主的避難への賠償に反対し、低線量被ばくのリスクを過小評価してきた。
We protest against the decision of the NRA and its member appointments which completely ignore the voice of citizens, runs contrary to the spirit of law, and shows no lessons have been learnt from the Fukushima nuclear accident.
We have pointed out the issues with proposed members through citizens, attorneys and members. We have handed 50,000 signatures from citizens to the government five times, but no reasonable response has been made by the government.
Many are looking to the NRA with outrage and disbelief.
Shuya Nomura (@NomuraShuya) tweeted [ja]:
今日発足した原子力規制委員会の委員は、口々に、地に落ちた原子力行政の信頼を回復したいと言うが、だったら国会の同意を得てもらわなければ委員には就任できないと言って頑張るべきだったのではないか。それすらできない人がいくら信頼回復を唱えても、それを信じて期待する国民は誰もいないだろう。
Members of the commission unanimously speak of hopes to recover the entirely lost trust of nuclear energy administration, but what they should have done is ensure commission members be inaugurated only after consent. No one will trust these members without it.
User Ryuichi Kino (@kinoryuichi) tweeted [ja]:
幹部７人のうち、長官の池田氏と地域安全統括官の黒木氏の２人が警察官僚。なんか多い。誰を取り締まるのか・・・→幹部名簿｜原子力規制委員会について｜原子力規制委員会 http://ow.ly/dQ6PY #genpatsu #fukushima
Of seven board members, Director General Ikeda and Regional Safty Manager Kuroki are both former police bureaucrats. Quite a few. Are they going to police some people? Executive Members List about RNA http://ow.ly/dQ6PY #genpatsu #fukushima
The new website for NRA states:
The Nuclear Regulation Authority has started in the situation where public trust on the nuclear regulation has been completely lost. It is our primary responsibility to conduct stricter regulations while readily admitting stern eyes from the public. […] We will always bear in mind that accidents beyond our expectations may occur, and tirelessly improve all the regulations so that Japan’s nuclear regulation is to be the highest standard in the world.
This post is part of our special coverage Japan Earthquake 2011.