Japan's National Diet is currently in the process of ratifying
the Japan-Turkey Nuclear Agreement that promises Japan's cooperation
for the construction of nuclear reactors in Turkey. Although
Turkey is one of the most earthquake-prone countries in the
world, buildings and infrastructures lack sufficient anti-seismic
measures. Since the mayor of Sinop is also against hosting
nuclear reactors in his city, it is also difficult to devise
effective plans for evacuation of residents. Turkey also does
not have plans for disposing radioactive waste.
On November 29, 2013, Japanese NGOs submitted the international
letter to Japanese Diet members, to protest against the Sinop
Nuclear Power Plant in Turkey, which is endorsed by 114 organizations
and 2604 persons from all over the world.
http://www.jacses.org/en/sdap/nuke/letteren20131129.pdf
Moreover, 2871 citizens of Sinop sent the letter to Japanese
Diet members to protest against the Sinop Nuclear Power Plant
at the same time.
http://www.jacses.org/sdap/nuke/lettersinop20131129.pdf
The ratification process of the agreement in the Diet was
expected to finalize by December 2013. But the process was
extended to the next Diet session, which will be held in January
to June 2014.
Therefore, Japanese NGOs decided to continue to collect the
petition. Please join our effort by signing the petition.
Sign Form:
http://goo.gl/QoOH6Q
Deadline:
10am JST, January 15, 2014
Japan Center for a Sustainable Environment and Society (JACSES)
Friends of the Earth (FoE) Japan
Mekong Watch
Peace Boat
January, 2014
Please Oppose the Japan-Turkey Nuclear
Agreement:
“No” to the Export of Nuclear Reactors
Dear Members of the National Diet of Japan:
We have a grave concern about the ratification of the Japan-Turkey
Nuclear Agreement in light of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear
Accident. This agreement will support the export of nuclear-related
materials and technologies from Japan to Turkey, and we are
strongly against it.
Turkey is one of the most earthquake-prone countries in the
world. Yet, buildings and infrastructures there lack sufficient
anti-seismic measures. Thus, if a large-scale earthquake happens,
infrastructures surrounding nuclear reactors will likely be
severely damaged, preventing effective responses to a nuclear
accident. Since the mayor of Sinop is also against hosting
nuclear reactors in his city, it is also difficult to devise
effective plans for evacuation of residents.
Currently, the Japan Atomic Power Company (JAPC) is conducting
a geological survey in Sinop, a 1.17-billion Yen project funded
by the Japanese government. But JAPC is an organization that
continues to insist that fault lines under the Tsuruga Nuclear
Power Plant are inactive, even though the Nuclear Regulation
Authority (NRA) has determined the fault lines as active.
Not only JAPC’s track record makes the validity of its geological
survey suspicious, but also the Japanese government has yet
to promise to publicize results of the survey. It is therefore
possible that the construction of nuclear reactors in Sinop
will proceed by leaving citizens of both Japan and Turley
uninformed.
Moreover, while Japan created the NRA, independent of pro-nuclear
ministries, after the nuclear accident, Turkey only has the
Atomic Energy Authority that functions both as promoter and
regulator of nuclear power. Turkey also does not have plans
for disposing radioactive waste.
Although we asked the Japanese government about countermeasures
against severe accidents and terrorism, evacuation plans,
and citizen hearings with respect to nuclear reactors in Turkey,
the Japanese government simply stated that the Turkish government
is responsible for these issues. Since the Japanese government
is using public fund to support the construction of nuclear
reactors in Turkey, however, it must have responsibility for
explaining, at least to Japanese citizens, how these issues
are handled.
In Japan, the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Accident forced many
people to leave their homes and suffer from nuclear pollution.
As contaminated water continues to leak, the nuclear accident
is far from over. We also do not know yet how much it will
cost to dispose contaminated water, decommission the destroyed
nuclear reactors, clean up contaminated areas, and compensate
victims. Given these ongoing, dire situations, we are strongly
against the Japanese government’s action to support the export
of nuclear reactors to Turkey for the interest of certain
manufacturing companies. We therefore ask the National Diet
of Japan to stop the ratification of the Japan-Turkey Nuclear
Agreement.
Sincerely,
Contact Information:
Yuki Tanabe, Japan Center for a Sustainable Environment and
Society (JACSES)
401, Sanshin Bldg., 2-3-2 Iidabashi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 102-0072
Japan
Tel: 03-3556-7325 Fax: 03-3556-7328
Kanna Mitsuta, Friends of the Earth (FoE) Japan
3-30-22-203, Ikebukuro, Toshima-ku, Tokyo 171-0014 Japan
Tel: 03-6907-7217 Fax: 03-6907-7219
Under Signed Organizations (as of November 29,
2013): 114 Organizations
Under Signed Persons (as of November 29, 2013): 2,604 Persons
Appendix: Problems with the Japan-Turkey
Nuclear Agreement and Planned Construction of Sinop Nuclear
Power Plant
Insufficient Anti-seismic Construction of Infrastructures
- Turkey is located in one of the most seismically active
regions (which experienced earthquakes of 6.0 M or greater
72 times since 1900). The 1999 Izmit Earthquake (7.8 M) killed
17,000 and injured 43,000. The earthquake also paralyzed key
electrical substations and caused blackouts for several days.
- Buildings and infrastructures in Turkey are not sufficiently
anti-seismic. In Istanbul, for example, only 1 % of all buildings
are seismic-retrofitted, including 250 schools and 10 public
hospitals out of 3,000 and 635, respectively (as of 2009).
- Even if nuclear reactors exported from Japan to Turkey are
highly anti-seismic, a large-scale earthquake will likely
destroy infrastructures surrounding the nuclear reactors,
preventing effective emergency responses.
- Since the mayor of Sinop is opposed to the construction
of nuclear reactors, it is difficult to devise effective evacuation
plans.
Questionable Validity of Geological Survey
- The Japan Atomic Power Company (JAPC) is conducting a geological
survey in Sinop, a 1.17-billion Yen project funded by the
Japanese government. But JAPC is an organization that continues
to insist that fault lines under the Tsuruga Nuclear Power
Plant are inactive, even though the Nuclear Regulation Authority
(NRA) has determined the fault lines as active. JAPC’s track
record makes the validity of its geological survey suspicious.
- Names and organizations of independent advisory committee
members, who provided suggestions at the selection of the
company, were not disclosed. JAPC re-commissioned three companies,
and those names were not disclosed as well. Although the survey
is conducting by the public fund, the report of the survey
may not be made public.
Inadequate Assessment of Economic Viability
- The construction of the Sinop Nuclear Power Plant is estimated
to cost 22-25 billion USD. But the cost of the Akkuyu Nuclear
Power Plant that a Russian company is building has been revised
from 20 to 25 billion USD with the possibility of further
increase. Some energy experts in Turkey estimate that nuclear
energy is more costly than other forms of energy in the long
run.
Absence of Independent Regulatory Agency
- While Japan created the NRA, independent of pro-nuclear
ministries, after the nuclear accident, Turkey only has the
Atomic Energy Authority that functions both as promoter and
regulator of nuclear power.
Lack of Decommission and Disposal Plans
- Turkey does not have clear plans for decommissioning nuclear
reactors and disposing radioactive waste. According to Asahi
Weekly, officials of the Japanese government internally agreed
not to discuss issues related to long-term management of radioactive
waste with the Turkish government.
Opposition from Sinop Mayor and Residents
- The current mayor of Sinop was elected in 2009 on the anti-nuclear
platform that rejected the construction of nuclear reactors
in terms of its negative effects on the city’s tourism industry.
Since then, he has continued to express his opposition. Sinop
residents have also organized numerous demonstrations against
the construction of nuclear reactors. Moreover, 2871 citizens
of Sinop sent the letter to Japanese Diet members to protest
against the Sinop Nuclear Power Plant.
Lack of Information about Countermeasures
- The Japanese government does not know about countermeasures
against severe accidents and terrorism, evacuation plans,
and citizen hearings with respect to the Sinop Nuclear Power
Plant.
After all…
The Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Accident Is Not Over
- As the destroyed nuclear reactors continue to leak contaminated
water, we do not know when the accident will be finally over.
We do not know the real cause of the accident, either. In
the meantime, many people lost their homes and continue to
suffer from nuclear pollution. In light of these ongoing,
dire situations, the export of nuclear reactors is unethical
and ignores the victims’ wish for a nuclear-free world.
|