Photo/Illutration An aerial view of downtown Suttsu, Hokkaido (Asahi Shimbun file photo)

SUTTSU, Hokkaido--Backers of keeping their town on a list of candidates for a nuclear waste depository won a majority in a municipal assembly election here, but those opposed to the project together marshaled 49 percent of the votes.

The first of a three-stage site selection process for the final disposal facility for high-level radioactive waste from spent nuclear fuel, called “bunken chosa,” or a survey of research papers and data, kicked off in Suttsu in November 2020.

Five candidates in favor of moving on to the second-stage survey were elected to the nine-member assembly on Oct. 3. The remaining four successful candidates are opposed.

The five-to-four split in the assembly remained unchanged from before the election, the first held since the nuclear waste depository emerged as an issue, except for a by-election.

In a mayoral election in 2021, incumbent Haruo Kataoka, who applied for the bunken chosa survey the previous year, defeated Yoshiki Echizenya, an opponent of the project, in a one-on-one contest.

The 49 percent of votes collectively garnered by seven candidates opposed to the project in the Oct. 3 election compared with 44 percent cast for Echizenya, who had resigned from the assembly to challenge Kataoka.

“Nearly three years have passed since the survey started, but opponents received more votes than expected,” said an assembly member who is in favor of the project.

He noted that many candidates who support moving on to the second-stage survey obtained fewer votes than in the previous election.

“The number of votes I won exceeded my expectations by more than 30 percent,” said an assembly member opposed to the project. “It shows I got unvoiced support (from opponents).”

Kataoka has said he will call a referendum before proceeding to the second-stage survey.

Opponents have criticized the mayor for arbitrarily applying for the bunken chosa survey, given that residents are sharply divided on the issue.

A report on the survey, which is being undertaken by the Nuclear Waste Management Organization of Japan, is expected to be published soon.

“When the referendum will be held is important,” said Echizenya, who returned to the town assembly after polling the largest number of votes in the election. “We need to seek the opinions of voters as soon as possible.”

A municipality can receive up to 2 billion yen ($13.44 million) in subsidies for agreeing to the bunken chosa survey.

It will be followed by a four-year boring survey, for which up to 7 billion yen will be offered in subsidies, and a 14-year final-stage survey in which an underground research facility will be built.

The Asahi Shimbun sent a questionnaire to candidates for the town assembly election before campaigning started.

While five new assembly members are in favor of the second-stage survey, only two said the town should move on to the final-stage survey. Only one said Suttsu should host the final disposal facility if the town is recognized as a suitable site.

The Nuclear Waste Management Organization of Japan is also conducting the bunken chosa survey in the Hokkaido village of Kamoenai.

The city assembly in Tsushima, Nagasaki Prefecture, called for joining the site selection process, but the mayor decided Sept. 27 not to apply for the bunken chosa survey.

(This article was written by Noboru Okada, Satoshi Shinden and Toshiki Horigome, a senior staff writer.)

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