Hamaoka Nuclear Power Plant Has Been Stopped by Who?

 US Government forcibly stopped Hamaoka Nuclear Power Plant

(8 min.25 sec.)

Mr.Shigeharu Aoyama, President of Japan's Independent Institute Inc. (See http://bit.ly/5xsu9U ) , and Member of Nuclear Safety Symposium, Japan Atomic Energy Commission (See http://bit.ly/iEv5KD ), Cabinet Office, Government of Japan

Mr.Hiroyuki Kishi, Professor of Graduate School of Media Design (See http://bit.ly/WYVkB ), Keio University, ex-official of Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (See http://bit.ly/cDYeYQ ), Aide to Mr. Heizou Takenaka, Minister for Internal Affairs and Communications for the Koizumi.Cabinet

Mr.Hiroshi Kurogane, Commentator

Mr.Terry Ito, Commentator

Newscasters (Man and Woman)

Newscaster (Man) said: Mr. Aoyama actually went over to Fukushima Daiichi where you observed devastating power of Tsunami, which I think, made you insist that Hamaoka nuclear power plant be immediately stopped. What do you think of a decision to stop Hamaoka nuclear power plant made by Prime Minister Kan?

Mr.Aoyama said: We came to know not only how high Tsunami could be but also its destructive power through our experience with Fukushima Daiichi. So, we had no other option but to stop Hamaoka nuclear power plant for the time being since no breakwater has been built yet and we know that sand hills there are not sufficient to protect Hamaoka plant. I should say "unavoidable".  However, why Prime Minister Kan abruptly announced such a decision as to stop Hamaoka at this juncture is that he had been pressured by the United States Government. This is my understanding.

Newscaster (Man) said: What? America?

Mr.Aoyama said: Yes. It is the United States of America. Since the early April, US had employed every possible means behind closed doors to pressure Japan into stopping Hamaoka. They even got in touch with me and said "We are just out of Fukushima. Now that Hamaoka!"

Newscaster (Woman) said: Which US departments got in touch with you?

Mr.Aoyama said: Both Department of Defense and Department of State contacted me. You know US nine-member team specializing in biological and nuclear hazards was sent to Japan. US already pulled the team out of Japan. Not because US cares about Japan and Japanese people but because they are just concerned with their national interests, they pressured Japan into stopping Hamaoka. The predicted occurrence of quakes and subsequent Tsunami will devastate Hamaoka, thereby spewing radioactive materials. Yokosuka naval base of the US 7th fleet will be much affected and will be disabled by nuclear fallout from Hamaoka as the wind blows from the west to the east. US pressured not only Prime Minister's Office but also the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency, Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, and National Police Agency, etc. into stopping Hamaoka. US has seriously expressed its concerns over the possible occurence of disaster that might cripple Hamaoka nuclear power plant.

Newscaster (Man) said: What! You mean to say that the Government of Japan stopped Hamaoka because of the request made by US Government.

Mr.Aoyama said: Yes. But it is a decision made by Japan. I would not say that the decision has been made only because of mounting US pressures on Japan. But it is true that strong US pressures on Japan had lasted for more than a month.

Newscaster (Woman) said: What do you think of the decision?

Mr. Kishi said: I will express my views from the standpoint of an ex-official specialized in administration of the Government. As far as the direction observed in a decision to stop Hamaoka is concerned, I should say it is going into the right one. Nevertheless, I must say that I can't totally agree on it when looking at the way the decision has been made. Before making any decision, the Government should have examined its impact on economy possibly resulting from the expected power shortage Chubu Electric Co. may face when Hamaoka is stopped, in consultation with all the ministries concerned. I don't think that they have given sufficient consideration particularly to Toyota factory and other factories in the area. And, not only Hamaoka but also other nuclear power plants must be re-examined to see if they can withstand any possible quakes even though probability of earthquakes is considered low. After Prime Minister Kan made an announcement on his decision to stop Hamaoka last Friday, Mr. Kaieda, Minister for Economy, Trade and Industry stated that all other nuclear power plants are safe from quakes and Tsunami and will continue to operate as they are now. After carefully scrutinizing his statement, I have become concerned over whether we should settle for his judgement because of its abruptness.

Newscaster (Woman) said: We have 54 nuclear power plants in Japan.

Mr. Aoyama said: Although we have 54, 24 of them are actually running now. In regards to what Mr. Kishi has just said, Since the early April, US government had began to pressure Japan into thinking that Japan should stop Hamaoka. There was a growing number of government officials voicing that Japan should stop Hamaoka. I asked the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry to see if electricity would be sufficiently secured for Toyota, Honda, Suzuki, etc. in the region covered by Chubu Electric Co. when Hamaoka was stopped. Then, the ministry estimated how much electricity could be secured after Hamaoka was stopped. As soon as Prime Minister Kan made an abrupt decision to stop Hamaoka, I called up the ministry to find out if the ministry had already submitted the estimate to Prime Minister Kan. The Ministry said "We didn't give the estimate to Prime Minister Kan at all." As far as I know of, Prime Minister Kan had never taken it into consideration when he made the abrupt decision.

Mr. Kishi said: Chubu Electric Co. will barely meet demand in the region without Hamaoka in operation. So, Chubu Electric Co. is not in a position to supply Tokyo Electric Power Co. with electricity it might need to overcome expected shortage.

Newscaster (Woman) said: This is the electric power planning for the year 2011 prepared by Chubu Electric Co. Before stopping Hamaoka, its supply capacity was 30,890,000 kW/day. But it is now 27,273,000 kW/day without Hamaoka whose generating capacity is 3,617,000 kW/day while maximum demand is expected to be 27,090,000 kW/day. Surplus electricity is only 180,000 kW/day.

Mr.Aoyama said: This is the estimate prepared by Chubu Electric Co. The Government must disclose the estimate prepared by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry.

Newscaster (Woman) said: Is the government estimate any different from this one?

Mr. Aoyama said: It is not the same as this one.

Newscaster (Man) said: From what both of you have just said, I should say that the decision made by Prime Minister Kan seems inconsistent with what the ministry has been doing.

Mr. Aoyama said: I should say that the Kan cabinet seems to have completely lost its control.

Mr. Kishi said: I think so, too.

Mr. Terry said: Trying to think logically, we must proritize things. As we are much concerned with Tsunami that might hit Hamaoka nuclear power plant, we can't just help stopping its operation. What we are most afraid of is that not only Toyota but also other companies who are internationally active may move out to other countries.

Mr. Aoyama said: Yes, you are right. Although Chubu Electric Co. says that it will take at least two or three years to construct breakwater to protect Hamaoka nuclear power plant from Tsunami, I should say it will take only six months.

Newscaster said: Are you confident about it? It will not take three years?

Mr. Aoyama said: Of course, I am. How could it take three years? You ask any civil engineers to come here. What's important is that Chubu Electric Co. should finish it in six months so as to stop the Japanese factories from moving out of Japan.

Mr. Kurogane said: What you are saying is right but what Mr. Kan has done so far is nothing but blunders. He is just goofy. It is almost like a student with poor grades saying "I am going to get a perfect mark this time." I can expect nothing from him. I am so worried about confusions he might create from now on.

Mr. Terry said: Japan experienced nuclear attacks on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Fukushima seems to be as grave as Hiroshima and Nagasaki. What's important is what we are going to learn from this experience. Not just stopping Hamaoka but we must think of what energy sources we should develop from now.

Mr. Kishi said: Sure, we must collect all the necessary data and must try to analyze them scientifically. But Kan has been making his decisions based on his feelings.

Mr. Aoyama said: Not his feelings but to secure his position. He should have announced his decision to stop Hamaoka while indicating the overall energy planning for this nation.