November 19, 2013
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Japan's National Diet is currently in the process of ratifying the Japan-Turkey Nuclear Agreement that promises Japan's cooperation for the construction of nuclear reactors in Turkey. Although Turkey is one of the most earthquake-prone countries in the world, buildings and infrastructures lack sufficient anti-seismic measures. Since the mayor of Sinop is also against hosting nuclear reactors in his city, it is also difficult to devise effective plans for evacuation of residents. Turkey also does not have plans for disposing radioactive waste.
On November 29, 2013, Japanese NGOs submitted the international letter to Japanese Diet members, to protest against the Sinop Nuclear Power Plant in Turkey, which is endorsed by 114 organizations and 2604 persons from all over the world.
>https://www.jacses.org/en/sdap/nuke/letteren20131129.pdf
Moreover, 2871 citizens of Sinop sent the letter to Japanese Diet members to protest against the Sinop Nuclear Power Plant at the same time.
>https://www.jacses.org/sdap/nuke/lettersinop20131129.pdf
The ratification process of the agreement in the Diet was expected to finalize by December 2013. But the process was extended to the next Diet session, which will be held in January to June 2014.
Therefore, Japanese NGOs decided to continue to collect the petition. Please join our effort by signing the petition.
Please join our effort by signing the petition:
Sign Form >https://goo.gl/QoOH6Q
Deadline:
10am JST, January 15, 2014
Japan Center for a Sustainable Environment and Society (JACSES)
Friends of the Earth (FoE) Japan
Mekong Watch
Peace Boat
Petition:
Please Oppose the Japan-Turkey Nuclear Agreement: “No” to the Export of Nuclear Reactors
Dear Members of the National Diet of Japan:
We have a grave concern about the ratification of the Japan-Turkey Nuclear Agreement in light of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Accident. This agreement will support the export of nuclear-related materials and technologies from Japan to Turkey, and we are strongly against it.
Turkey is one of the most earthquake-prone countries in the world. Yet, buildings and infrastructures there lack sufficient anti-seismic measures. Thus, if a large-scale earthquake happens, infrastructures surrounding nuclear reactors will likely be severely damaged, preventing effective responses to a nuclear accident. Since the mayor of Sinop is also against hosting nuclear reactors in his city, it is also difficult to devise effective plans for evacuation of residents.
Currently, the Japan Atomic Power Company (JAPC) is conducting a geological survey in Sinop, a 1.17-billion Yen project funded by the Japanese government. But JAPC is an organization that continues to insist that fault lines under the Tsuruga Nuclear Power Plant are inactive, even though the Nuclear Regulation Authority (NRA) has determined the fault lines as active. Not only JAPC’s track record makes the validity of its geological survey suspicious, but also the Japanese government has yet to promise to publicize results of the survey. It is therefore possible that the construction of nuclear reactors in Sinop will proceed by leaving citizens of both Japan and Turley uninformed.
Moreover, while Japan created the NRA, independent of pro-nuclear ministries, after the nuclear accident, Turkey only has the Atomic Energy Authority that functions both as promoter and regulator of nuclear power. Turkey also does not have plans for disposing radioactive waste.
Although we asked the Japanese government about countermeasures against severe accidents and terrorism, evacuation plans, and citizen hearings with respect to nuclear reactors in Turkey (as well as in UAE), the Japanese government simply stated that the Turkish government is responsible for these issues. Since the Japanese government is using public fund to support the construction of nuclear reactors in Turkey, however, it must have responsibility for explaining, at least to Japanese citizens, how these issues are handled.
In Japan, the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Accident forced many people to leave their homes and suffer from nuclear pollution. As contaminated water continues to leak, the nuclear accident is far from over. We also do not know yet how much it will cost to dispose contaminated water, decommission the destroyed nuclear reactors, clean up contaminated areas, and compensate victims. Given these ongoing, dire situations, we are strongly against the Japanese government’s action to support the export of nuclear reactors to Turkey for the interest of certain manufacturing companies. We therefore ask the National Diet of Japan to stop the ratification of the Japan-Turkey Nuclear Agreement.
Sincerely,
Japan Center for a Sustainable Environment and Society (JACSES)
401, Sanshin Bldg., 2-3-2 Iidabashi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 102-0072 Japan
Tel: 03-3556-7325 Fax: 03-3556-7328
Friends of the Earth (FoE) Japan
3-30-22-203, Ikebukuro, Toshima-ku, Tokyo 171-0014 Japan
Tel: 03-6907-7217 Fax: 03-6907-7219
Mekong Watch
3F AOKI Bldg. 1-12-11 Taito, Taito-ku, Tokyo 110-0016, Japan
Tel: +81 3 3832 5034, Fax: +81 3 3832 5039
Peace Boat
B1, 3-13-1 Takadanobaba, Shinjuku, Tokyo 169-0075, Japan
Tel: 03-3363-8047
Fax: 03-3363-7562
Appendix:
Problems with the Japan-Turkey Nuclear Agreement and Planned Construction of Sinop Nuclear Power Plant
Insufficient Anti-seismic Construction of Infrastructures
-Turkey is located in one of the most seismically active regions (which experienced earthquakes of 6.0 M or greater 72 times since 1900). The 1999 Izmit Earthquake (7.8 M) killed 17,000 and injured 43,000. The earthquake also paralyzed key electrical substations and caused blackouts for several days.
-Buildings and infrastructures in Turkey are not sufficiently anti-seismic. In Istanbul, for example, only 1 % of all buildings are seismic-retrofitted, including 250 schools and 10 public hospitals out of 3,000 and 635, respectively (as of 2009).
-Even if nuclear reactors exported from Japan to Turkey are highly anti-seismic, a large-scale earthquake will likely destroy infrastructures surrounding the nuclear reactors, preventing effective emergency responses.
-Since the mayor of Sinop is opposed to the construction of nuclear reactors, it is difficult to devise effective evacuation plans.
Questionable Validity of Geological Survey
-The Japan Atomic Power Company (JAPC) is conducting a geological survey in Sinop, a 1.17-billion Yen project funded by the Japanese government. But JAPC is an organization that continues to insist that fault lines under the Tsuruga Nuclear Power Plant are inactive, even though the Nuclear Regulation Authority (NRA) has determined the fault lines as active. JAPC's track record makes the validity of its geological survey suspicious.
-Names and organizations of independent advisory committee members, who provided suggestions at the selection of the company, were not disclosed. JAPC re-commissioned three companies, and those names were not disclosed as well. Although the survey is conducting by the public fund, the report of the survey may not be made public.
Inadequate Assessment of Economic Viability
The construction of the Sinop Nuclear Power Plant is estimated to cost 22-25 billion USD. But the cost of the Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant that a Russian company is building has been revised from 20 to 25 billion USD with the possibility of further increase. Some energy experts in Turkey estimate that nuclear energy is more costly than other forms of energy in the long run.
Absence of Independent Regulatory Agency
While Japan created the NRA, independent of pro-nuclear ministries, after the nuclear accident, Turkey only has the Atomic Energy Authority that functions both as promoter and regulator of nuclear power.
Lack of Decommission and Disposal Plans
Turkey does not have clear plans for decommissioning nuclear reactors and disposing radioactive waste. According to Asahi Weekly, officials of the Japanese government internally agreed not to discuss issues related to long-term management of radioactive waste with the Turkish government.
Opposition from Sinop Mayor and Residents
The current mayor of Sinop was elected in 2009 on the anti-nuclear platform that rejected the construction of nuclear reactors in terms of its negative effects on the city's tourism industry. Since then, he has continued to express his opposition. Sinop residents have also organized numerous demonstrations against the construction of nuclear reactors. Moreover, 2871 citizens of Sinop sent the letter to Japanese Diet members to protest against the Sinop Nuclear Power Plant.
Lack of Information about Countermeasures
The Japanese government does not know about countermeasures against severe accidents and terrorism, evacuation plans, and citizen hearings with respect to the Sinop Nuclear Power Plant.
After all…
The Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Accident Is Not Over
As the destroyed nuclear reactors continue to leak contaminated water, we do not know when the accident will be finally over. We do not know the real cause of the accident, either. In the meantime, many people lost their homes and continue to suffer from nuclear pollution. In light of these ongoing, dire situations, the export of nuclear reactors is unethical and ignores the victims' wish for a nuclear-free world.