ONE-THOUSAND PROTESTORS MARCH IN KASHIWAZAKI AGAINST PLUTONIUM MOX AS SHIPMENT NEARS JAPAN

17 March 2001

Kashiwazaki City, Japan - Greenpeace activists joined over 1000 protestors who marched through the streets of Kashiwazaki City in opposition to the plans of Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) to load plutonium MOX fuel in the nearby reactor of Kashiwazaki-Kariwa, unit 3.

The plutonium mixed oxide (MOX) fuel is due to arrive later this week at the reactor's port located in Niigata Prefecture on the Sea of Japan coast. The Greenpeace activists and other protestors demanded an end to the plutonium program of Japan, called 'pluthermal'. Citing concerns over falsification of quality control, reactor safety implications, and the danger of nuclear weapons proliferation, the Greenpeace activists and speakers from Fukushima and Fukui Prefectures, as well as from Niigata, called for the MOX fuel due to arrive around March 24th to be not used in the reactor. Two armed British ships, the Pacific Pintail, which is carrying the MOX fuel, and Pacific Teal, which is acting as armed escort, are currently in the Pacific Ocean, having sailed through Micronesia during the last few days.

The sea route to Niigata has not been made public. One option would take the vessels through the East China Sea and between the Korean Peninsula and mainland Japan. However, protests in Pusan and Seoul in South Korean on Thursday and Friday opposed the shipment passing through the straits, and called on the government in Seoul to oppose the shipment, and for Japan to abandon its plutonium program. South Korea is not permitted to use plutonium MOX fuel due to concerns that it would use the material for nuclear weapons.

The alternative route for the British vessels is via the Tsugaru Straits between northern Honshu and Hokkaido. On Friday environmental groups in the port city of Hakodate appealed to the city government and Hokkaido Governor office in Sapporo, to oppose the shipment of the MOX through the narrow and dangerous straits. Whatever route is taken, the two ships are expected to pass through one of the straits during Wednesday March 21st.

Protests in France, Portugal, South Africa, as well as a flotilla of boats in the Tasman Sea and in Suva, Fiji have opposed the shipment along its 30,000km voyage.

Plans to load MOX fuel in reactors in Fukui and Fukushima have been delayed due to the British Nuclear Fuels falsification scandal and evidence of similar falsification by Belgonucleaire that produced MOX fuel for Fukushima. Although the MOX fuel was delivered in 1999 to these Prefectures none of it has been loaded.

In addition to a court decision pending in Fukushima City on a citizens injunction against MOX fuel use, citizens in the village of Kariwa, next to the reactor site at Kashiwazaki, have called for a referendum of local residents on whether they oppose or support MOX use. Meanwhile in Kashiwazaki City, a council resolution will be debated and voted on Monday March 26th that opposes MOX use.

"The only thing that is positive about Japan's plutonium program is that it unites people around the world in opposition," said Greenpeace International nuclear campaigner Shaun Burnie. "It's a nuclear program without justification, rationale or public support, and it threatens to cause a plutonium meltdown in East Asia."

"The European plutonium industry - Cogema, Belgonucleaire and BNFL, as well as the Japanese utilities and government are hearing the message loud and clear - stop this madness," Burnie said.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:

- Shaun Burnie - Greenpeace International (m) +81 90 2253 7306
- Kazue Suzuki - Greenpeace Japan (m) +81 90 2249 1502

www.greenpeace.org/~nuclear/transport/mox00/