REFERENDUM PUTS JAPAN'S PLUTONIUM PROGRAM IN SPOTLIGHT

25 May 2001

Tokyo - A first of its kind referendum on whether plutonium should be loaded into a Japanese nuclear reactor will be held this weekend in the village of Kariwa, Niigata Prefecture. The people of Kariwa live immediately next to the world's largest nuclear power plant, Kashiwazaki-Kariwa, operated by Tokyo Electric Power Company, TEPCO. The company had planned to load the controversial plutonium fuel during this summer, but due to growing opposition in Niigata, as well as the rest of Japan, those plans have been abandoned.

In recent days, Japanese government Ministers have stated that the plutonium program will proceed, regardless of the referendum result. However, Greenpeace believes that in fact the program is already under severe pressure due to the poor economics, controversy surrounding the transport and use of plutonium, and Japan's mounting stockpiles of plutonium. Sunday's referendum is already a significant milestone in the national and international effort to change Japan's nuclear policy.

A shipment of approximately 200kg of MOX fuel containing plutonium arrived at Kashiwazaki-Kariwa in March. The plutonium MOX was manufactured in Europe by a consortium led by French state-company Cogema. MOX fuel supplied by the same company and delivered to Japan in 1999 has also not been loaded into a reactor in Fukushima Prefecture, due to opposition from citizens and politicians, including the Governor of the region. Evidence of falsification of vital quality control data and low production standards in all Europe's plutonium MOX facilities, have contributed to growing opposition to MOX fuel which when loaded in a reactor increases the risk of catastrophic accident. A review by Fukushima Prefecture of Japan's plutonium program is to be held over at least the next 12 months.

The holding of the referendum in itself is a significant development in the mounting opposition in Japan to the country's nuclear program, in particular government and industry plans to use large amounts of weapons-usable plutonium in multiple reactors. Previous attempts to hold the referendum were rejected by the village Mayor following strong pressure from Tokyo Electric not to allow the issue to be voted on.

The referendum which will be held on Sunday 27th, permits three options for the citizens of Kariwa. A yes, in favor of loading the MOX fuel, no to loading the MOX, and suspend.

"Whatever the result on Sunday night, the signal is clear: Japan's plutonium MOX program is becoming increasingly controversial. Plans by the utilities, and the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry to transport thousands of kilograms of plutonium around the planet to load into reactors are unsafe, unsustainable and uneconomic. The program is already in disarray, after Sunday it could be in freefall," said Kazue Suzuki of Greenpeace Japan.

Japan currently owns a plutonium stockpile of over 30,000kg. Five kilograms would be sufficient for one nuclear weapon. Not one gram of the plutonium shipped from Europe to Japan in the last 16 years has been used in a reactor. MOX fuel delivered by British Nuclear Fuels in 1999 was rejected following disclosures that it contained falsified quality control data. BNFL has agreed to pay nearly US$200 million in compensation and transportation costs to ship the plutonium fuel back to the UK. The company is desperate to secure commercial contracts with Japanese utilities to secure the opening of its new Sellafield MOX Plant (SMP).(1) Recent leaked information highlights continuing profound disagreements between BNFL and their Japanese reprocessing clients.(2) SMP currently has no contracts with Japanese utilities. There is growing evidence about poor quality control and production standards at the BNFL plant, as well mounting evidence of safety problems with Japan's plans to use MOX.

"British Nuclear Fuels, as well as Cogema of France, will be watching the referendum with real fear. Only a few months ago they were dismissing the possibility that such a referendum could be held at all. They, together with pro-plutonium factions in the government are now trying to dismiss its relevance. However, for the first time, the people of Kariwa are being given a chance to effect the future of Japan's plutonium program. Even before the result on Sunday, we know, as does the nuclear industry, that the momentum of opposition against this program in Japan and internationally is growing and will continue to do so after Sunday," said Shaun Burnie of Greenpeace International.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:
Kazue Suzuki - Greenpeace Japan - + 81 3 5351 5400
Shaun Burnie - Greenpeace International - + 31 629 001 133 (Dutch mobile)

(1) The UK government is due to make a decision in June or July on whether to license the Sellafield MOX Plant. Greenpeace International is opposed to its licensing, and is supporting a legal challenge launched by Friends of the Earth (UK) against the British government charging that Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott and Environment Minister Michael Meacher have acted unlawfully in restricting the amount information and scope of the latest public consultation on the MOX plant. The court challenge was launched on Thursday, 24th May in London.

(2) Relations between BNFL customers, including Japanese utilities, never good, have recently been exposed to be still in crisis. Leaked documents on secret negotiations between BNFL and Japanese utility customers reveal threats of legal action against BNFL for failing in its operations at Sellafield and for cost overruns of hundreds of millions of dollars which are passed on to the customers. These documents and background briefing are available at the Greenpeace web site: www.britishnuclearfuels.com