A Nuclear power station is going to resume its operation
In the center of an expected earthquake

Representative Minoru Konagaya
E-mail:stop-hamaoka@mbk.nifty.com

As you may know, Japan is a country of much seismic activity, located in the Pacific Rimorogenic belt. In the Tokai area where we live, a huge earthquake strikes periodically – every 100 to 150 years in the vicinity of the boundary of two continental plates. This earthquake, which is envisioned to be over magnitude-8, is called “Tokai Earthquake”. 148 years have passed since last one in 1854. The Japanese government enacted legislation that allows issuance of an “earthquake warning” in 1978, assuming that the earthquake is predictable. This kind of legislation is quite unique in the world. Now that 23 years have passed since then, new that indicate risk of earthquake data have been measured. Many researchers point out that the next Tokai Earthquake is ready to occur at any time.

And, four nuclear power reactors exist in HAMAOKA Town, Shizuoka prefecture, which is almost in the center of the assumed focal region of the Tokai Earthquake. In fact, operations at Reactors 1 and 2 have been suspended since last November due to an accident, but they will be put back into service in the near future. This plant was constructed before the danger of the next Tokai Earthquake was recognized. The reactors, even if they are shut down in case of earthquake, must be cooled for at least three months; otherwise, they pose the risk of debacle. We can hardly say with finality that it is safe. If an accident should happen at Hamaoka Nuclear Power Station, which produces more electric than Chernobyl, radiation disaster would spread as far as the metropolitan area including Tokyo on the westerlies. Considering its effects on terrestrial environment and on global economy, on your family and neighborhood, this is not someone else's business.

The Tokai Earthquake would be the first huge quake to break out right under a nuclear power station. Nobody can be sure there will be no unpredicted accident. Unpredicted accidents did happen at Hamaoka last November; so did some at the time of the Great Hanshin Earthquake. Shouldn’t we suspend the operation of Hamaoka Nuclear Power Station until after the Tokai Earthquake has occurred? It is the easiest way to prevent unpredicted accidents. Here we are not discussing the right or wrong of nuclear power itself. We simply appeal, beyond the boundaries of all different stands, for the suspension of Hamaoka Nuclear Power Station until after the Tokai Earthquake has occurred, for the sake of all living creatures. There is data which suggests that electric power can be supplied all right, without operations of Hamaoka.

In Japan, the hugely powerful electric industry actually controls the mass media to the extent that this kind of information is hardly reported in the media. Average citizens are ill-informed of the situation. We are exposed to mortal danger without noticing it. What can we do to prevent a global nuclear disaster? One example is to look at the homepage below. We accept overseas signatures by Internet. Please pass this important message to others. There is an official statement signed by 6 prominent Japanese figures, plus some information related to the Hamaoka situation. Please take a look.