Calls are growing for a moratorium on the Rokkasho Reprocessing Plant, currently undergoing uranium trials in Aomori Prefecture (1).
Yesterday (Tuesday May 24th), during the closing stages of the Non Proliferation Treaty Review Conference, an "appeal to Japan for leadership toward strengthening of the non-proliferation regime" (2) was handed to the Japanese delegation to the United Nations in New York. The appeal, signed by 150 academics, politicians and leaders in the peace movement from around the world, calls for an indefinite postponement of the operation of the Rokkasho plutonium reprocessing plant. Later in the same day a press conference was held in the United Nations building by the International Network of Engineers and Scientists Against Proliferation, Physicians for Social Responsibility (US) and Peace Boat (Japan).
This appeal follows a similar appeal (3) on 5 May 2005, also at the NPT Review Conference, by 27 eminent scientists, former policy makers and analysts, including four Nobel Physics prize winners and two former Secretaries of Defense. Their declaration was released by the Union of Concerned Scientists, which warned, "Japan's plan to separate and stockpile up to 8 metric tons of plutonium annually - the equivalent of 1,000 nuclear bombs each year - calls into question Japan's commitment to strengthening the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty".
The idea for a moratorium on uranium enrichment and reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel was initially proposed by people such as IAEA Director, Mohamed ElBaradei, and a high-level panel established by UN Secretary General, Kofi Annan. Since then, however, calls have been growing for the moratorium to be applied to the Rokkasho Reprocessing Plant.
Japanese people signing this latest appeal include academics such as Shoji Sawada (also a Hibakusha), Mitsuhei Murata, Mitsuo Okamoto, Manabu Hattori, Hideo Tsuchiyama and Masao Kunihiro, politicians such as Hitoshi Motojima and world famous musician Ryuichi Sakamoto.
Hideyuki Ban of the Tokyo based Citizens' Nuclear Information Center also signed the appeal. He said today, "The Japanese Government has tried to dismiss calls for a moratorium on Rokkasho, but it can be seen from the growing number of people signing statements in support of such a moratorium that this is an issue that won't go away."
"This appeal supports the appeal by leading scientists and policy analysts made earlier in the NPT Review Conference. These are people who know perfectly well the significance of Rokkasho for nuclear proliferation. Also the general public is much more aware now that the only sure way to prevent further proliferation of nuclear weapons is to cut off the supply of bomb making materials. The Rokkasho Reprocessing Plant will vastly increase the supply of plutonium, one of the key bomb making materials, so it is just what we don't need."
The appeal states, "Additional production and accumulation of weapons-usable materials by Japan would further complicate proliferation concerns in the Northeast Asia region. If the plant is started now this would present an excuse called 'the Japanese example' to those countries seeking to acquire nuclear weapons (materials)."
Mr Ban questioned the government's need for more plutonium, saying, "Given that Japan already has over 40 tons of plutonium stockpiled and that there is no clear plan to use this plutonium, inevitably people begin to wonder what it is really for. On 1 December 1997, Japan stated that its nuclear fuel cycle is based on 'the principle of no surplus plutonium'. However, this huge stockpile will only increase if the Rokkasho Reprocessing Plant is started up."
"The government's claim that it will use the plutonium in MOX fuel (4) doesn't make economic sense. Uranium fuel is much cheaper and the government has admitted that it is cheaper to dispose of spent nuclear fuel directly, rather than extract the plutonium through reprocessing."
"After nearly a month of negotiations in New York, very little progress has been made. Meanwhile, the threat of more states breaking out from the treaty and developing nuclear weapons is increasing. A bold decision by the Japanese government to suspend its plan to open Rokkasho could breathe new life into the NPT."
"The world is looking to Japan, which more than any country knows the dangers of nuclear weapons, to show leadership. For the sake of the NPT, and also for its own sake, Japan should heed the calls for a moratorium on the Rokkasho Reprocessing Plant."
Contacts:
Hideyuki Ban, CNIC Co-Director
Philip White, International Liaison Officer
Notes and References
1. The Rokkasho Reprocessing Plant commenced uranium trials (running depleted uranium through the whole plant) on 21 December 2004. Trials using spent nuclear fuel are scheduled to commence in December 2005 and the plant is due to commence operations in May 2007.
2. The full text and signatories can be viewed at the following URL:
http://www.peaceboat.org/english/nwps/sm/arc/050524/index.html
3. The declaration is entitled "A Call on Japan to Strengthen the NPT by Indefinitely Postponing Operation of the Rokkasho Spent Fuel Reprocessing Plant" and was originally released by the Union of Concerned Scientists at the NPT Review Conference on May 5th, 2005. See the following link for UCS's press release and the full declaration:
http://www.ucsusa.org/news/press_release.cfm?newsID=481
4. 'MOX fuel' refers to nuclear reactor fuel made from a mixed oxide of plutonium and uranium.
