Pacific Teal Imminent Arrival in Japan

["Greenbase" <greenbas@gb.greenpeace.org>]

PACIFIC TEAL'S ARRIVAL DATE IN JAPAN CONFIRMED


Tokyo, Tuesday March 11th 1997:  Today at 3pm local time the
Federal Electric Power Corporation (FEPCO) announced the
imminent arrival of the 2nd shipment of intense high level
nuclear waste to Japan.  The date has finally been confirmed for
the 18th March at the northern  port of Mutsu-Ogawara in Aomori
prefecture.

The British flagged nuclear waste transport vessel, Pacific Teal
will have  arrived from the French Atlantic port of Cherbourg
having departed there  on the 13 January.

Greenpeace protests in the strongest possible terms at the
cavalier  attitude with which the route of this shipment has
been taken.  Greenpeace believes that such secretive shipments
of highly radioactive  waste involve unacceptable calamitous
risks to the environment and  public health.

Over 20 Nations worldwide have expressed deep concern over this
shipment.   At a press conference on the 14th January FEPCO
released a statement only  detailing that a South West Pacific
route was to be taken via the Cape of  Good Hope with an arrival
in Japan around the middle of March.  Greenpeace also believes
that this hardly amounts to a full disclosure  of information
relating to the route as previously promised by FEPCO.

Greenpeace Japan plans to be at the wharf side at Mutsu-Ogawara
along  with protest groups from all over Japan to demonstrate
against this  and further possible shipments of radioactive
waste.
Tomorrow the 12 March at 12:00 midday a collaboration of protest 
groups will assemble outside FEPCO Headquarters to begin 
demonstrations over this issue.

Local contact(15th to 18th of March) in Rokkasho:
Noriko Oyama , press officer    TEL 0175-77-3079        Fax
0175-77-3125                                 Mobile 030-470-7884

For further information: Greenpeace Japan, Noriko Oyama
03-5351-5400/09