Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Latest Update on Japan's Proposal to Re-Start Re-Processing of Nuclear Fuel


I posted recently about criticism of the secret meeting that was held to recommend re-starting processing of nuclear fuel in Japan.


The first story I covered was this one:

Asahi: Panel backs nuclear fuel reprocessing after talks with industry officials May 24 2012
http://ajw.asahi.com/article/0311disaster/fukushima/AJ201205240100

http://majiasblog.blogspot.com/2012/05/reprocessing-nuclear-fuel-to-continue.html

I then examined an editorial in the Mainichi criticizing the closed and secret nature of the committee meeting that made the recommendation:


Mainichi: Yoroku: Dismantling the 'black boxes' of Japanese nuclear power
(sorry cannot find link now, but covered at my blog)

http://majiasblog.blogspot.com/2012/05/more-on-japans-proposal-to-re-start-re.html
 
Now the plot thickens: 

Mainichi: Atomic Energy panel members call for independent probe into secret meetings
http://mainichi.jp/english/english/newsselect/news/20120529p2a00m0na010000c.html

[excerpt] "Some members of a Japan Atomic Energy Commission (JAEC) panel working out new nuclear energy policy have called for a third-party probe into revelations that business operators in favor of the nuclear fuel cycle project were invited to secret meetings before an assessment was altered to help promote the project...

...It has come to light that a report on a review of the nuclear fuel cycle project drafted by a JAEC subcommittee on the issue was presented at secret "study" meetings attended by only members in favor of the project, and that its comprehensive evaluation was altered to favor the project in response to utilities' requests.

The altered draft was subsequently submitted to the subcommittee, which approved the draft and reported it to the panel on a new nuclear energy policy...

Ban, Keio University professor Masaru Kaneko and lawyer Mie Asaoka, who heads the Kiko (Climate) Network, then demanded that the scandal be investigated by a third-party organization.

Asaoka even demanded that JAEC be drastically restructured. "Instead of discussing new atomic energy policy at JAEC, the organization and its members should be renewed and something like a 'National Congress on Atomic Energy' should be set up."

MAJIA HERE: The committee that approved the re-processing of fuel to make Mox consisted of 3 university professors who had received industry donations ranging from 4 million yen to 8 million yen.  These professors were from Univ of Tokyo, Osaka University, and Kyoto University.

Additionally, 9 of the employees who "staff the panel secretariat" were "on loan" from nuclear power suppliers and nuclear energy related companies.


Why did Japan hold a secret meeting stacked with paid professors and industry insiders to ensure the re-start of Mox production?


Why does Japan need to make more Mox?


Obviously, there is an agenda here that should be public.


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