{
  "id": 4585359,
  "title": "Japan gov't eyes Hitachiomiya as survey site for nuclear waste disposal",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/31/japan-govt-eyes-hitachiomiya-as-survey-site-for-nuclear-waste-disposal",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-31T06:33:40.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Mainichi",
    "slug": "the-mainichi",
    "url": "https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20260831/p2g/00m/0na/026000c"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The Japanese government is exploring Hitachiomiya in Ibaraki Prefecture, located near Tokyo, as a potential site for the disposal of highly radioactive waste, according to a report by Kyodo on Monday. If Hitachiomiya agrees to participate, it would become the fifth location to undergo a preliminary survey for such a disposal site. The selection process is divided into three stages, each lasting approximately 20 years. The initial stage, the preliminary survey, typically takes around two years, and participating municipalities can receive subsidies of up to 2 billion yen ($13 million). The process can commence either when municipalities apply or when the government seeks their consent. Hitachiomiya is the second site under consideration for a potential disposal site, following Tokyo's Ogasawara, which includes Minamitori Island at the country's easternmost territorial waters in the Pacific. Other locations being evaluated include Suttsu and Kamoenai in Hokkaido, northern Japan, and Genkai in Saga, a southwestern prefecture.",
  "summary": "TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Japan's industry ministry sought Monday to conduct a preliminary survey in Hitachiomiya in Ibaraki Prefecture, near Tokyo, to select",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "The Mainichi",
        "title": "35% of unmarried youth in Japan say they do not plan to marry: survey",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/31/35-of-unmarried-youth-in-japan-say-they-do-not-plan-to-marry-survey",
        "published": "2026-08-31T04:50:03.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}