Japan Govt Informs Fukushima of New N-Waste Storage Plan

Fukushima, March 27 (Jiji Press)--The Japanese government plans to build interim storage facilities for radioactive wastes in two towns in Fukushima Prefecture, instead of three as it initially proposed, Environment Minister Nobuteru Ishihara said on Thursday. The new plan calls for building the facilities in Okuma and Futaba, dropping Naraha from the initial list, Ishihara told Fukushima Governor Yuhei Sato during their meeting in the city of Fukushima. The facilities are designed to store contaminated soil and other radioactive wastes from decontamination work following the nation's worst nuclear accident at Tokyo Electric Power Co.'s <9501> Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant three years ago. Ishihara also said the central government will provide financial assistance to promote the development of regions to be affected by the construction of the storage facilities. At the meeting, Ishihara also stressed that the central government will buy up land for the construction instead of leasing it. The Fukushima prefectural government has been urging the central government to lease the land to dispel concerns that the interim storage facilities will eventually become final disposal sites. END