Nuke Info Tokyo No. 127 (November/December 2008)

Fuel Loaded into Kashiwazaki-Kariwa Unit 7
All seven reactors of the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear power plant have been closed since the July 2007 Chuetsu-Oki Earthquake, but Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) began loading nuclear fuel into Unit 7 on November 8, 2008 with a view to starting system tests.

Opposition to Dangerous MOX Fuel
Ignoring local opposition, electric power companies are pushing ahead with preparations for the introduction of pluthermal in 2010.

Officials Despair of February Monju Restart
Japan Atomic Energy Agency “shows no sign of frankly facing and humbly taking on board opinions from outside the organization”.

Rokkasho Reprocessing Plant: Never Ending Vitrification Problems
JNFL has been unable to produce glass canisters to seal the highly radioactive liquid waste left over after reprocessing spent nuclear fuel. Further delay to date for completing active tests is inevitable.

Kiyuna and Nagao Worker Exposure Compensation Claims
—Workers’ compensation awarded to Tadashi Kiyuna a first ever for malignant lymphoma.
—High Court judge approaching Mitsuaki Nagao’s appeal: positively.Japanese Inventory of Separated Plutonium at 31 December 2007
Plutonium held in Japan increased substantially in 2007. Most of the increase was plutonium separated during active testing of the Rokkasho Reprocessing Plant.

Who’s Who: Hokuto Muto
We were always inclined to think, “I can’t do anything on my own”, or “I’m too busy with other things”, but Hokuto came along and showed us that these were just excuses.

News Watch
—Plan to double nuclear indemnity requirements
—Permission given to reclaim sea for Kaminoseki Nuclear Power Plant
—Ohi-3 to be restarted without being repaired
—Fire at Onagawa-1
—JAEA, EDF to cooperate on fast reactors
—Agreement for cooperation between JAEA and KAERI
—BTC to accept trainees from the US
—Nuclear energy seminar and exhibition in Vietnam