The Shadow of Rokkasho: A Record of Dumping and the Future of the Environment (2006-2022)

The Shadow of Rokkasho: A Record of Dumping and the Future of the Environment (2006-2022)

Rokkasho Village in Aomori Prefecture is home to a nuclear fuel reprocessing plant, a key element of Japan's energy policy. However, many environmental issues and debates about waste disposal have accumulated in this area from the past to the present.

For example, in May 2006, an accident occurred in the analysis building at the Rokkasho Reprocessing Plant in which a worker ingested a trace amount of radioactive material into his body. In response to this accident, JNFL reviewed its work procedures and strengthened its education and training, but some point out that these measures have not led to fundamental solutions.

In addition, experts in Japan and abroad have voiced concerns about the impact of the release of radioactive materials from the facility on the surrounding environment and human health. One report suggests that the amount of radioactivity released into the ocean annually is equivalent to the lethal dose of 47,000 people, and that 15,000 people worldwide could die from cancer.

Furthermore, the governor of Aomori Prefecture has refused to accept the low-level radioactive waste to be returned from France in 2022. This is said to be an indication that the prefecture will not take on any further burden, and may have an impact on Japan's future nuclear fuel cycle policy.

Rokkasho stands at the crossroads of future energy policy. Watching over the future of Rokkasho Village will not only be a regional issue, but also a question for Japan as a whole in terms of its environmental and energy policies.

Related Information
- Accident at Rokkasho Reprocessing Plant (2006)
- Pointing out the annual amount of radioactivity released and its effects
- Refusal by the Governor of Aomori Prefecture to accept low-level radioactive waste (2022)