Where will the Japanese radioactive waste end up?

The Japanese government has unveiled plans to review the way it selects final disposal sites for radioactive waste.

It earlier decided that contaminated mud and incinerator ash from the 2011 nuclear accident in Fukushima would be disposed of in the prefectures where it was generated.

The Environment Ministry plans to bury the radioactive materials in final disposal sites to be built in 5 prefectures.

The Ministry earlier selected state-owned forests in Yaita, in Tochigi Prefecture, and Takahagi, in Ibaraki Prefecture, as possible sites.

But construction has yet to proceed there due to opposition from the host cities and surrounding areas.
Senior Vice Minister Shinji Inoue on Monday announced that the ministry would meet with local governments during the decision-making process. He said the previous government had failed to fully explain to local municipalities why they had been chosen as candidate sites.

He also disclosed a ministry plan to seek recommendations from a new panel of experts, and added that drilling surveys will be carried out to narrow down the choices for the final disposal sites.