Japan eyes city near Tokyo as possible nuclear waste disposal site

Japan's industry ministry is considering Hitachiomiya, a city near Tokyo, as a potential site for the disposal of highly radioactive nuclear waste, according to Kyodo News. If accepted, Hitachiomiya would become the fifth location to undergo a preliminary survey for this purpose. The survey process consists of three stages, with the first, the preliminary survey, lasting approximately two years and offering up to 2 billion yen (US$13 million) in subsidies to participating municipalities.

Hitachiomiya's mayor, Sadayuki Suzuki, expressed a positive view of the proposal but emphasized the importance of hearing the opinions of city assembly members before making a final decision. The disposal process involves solidifying the liquid waste generated during spent nuclear fuel reprocessing into glass and burying it more than 300 meters underground, where it remains isolated from human populations for tens of thousands of years due to its extremely strong radiation.

Hitachiomiya is the second city on the central government's list of potential sites, following Ogasawara, an island chain with Minamitori Island at the Pacific's easternmost edge. Other cities under consideration include Suttsu and Kamoenai in Hokkaido, and Genkai in Saga, all located in Japan's southwestern prefecture.