Two days later, on July 3, he spoke of his aspirations at a press conference. He began by expressing his gratitude to Suttsu Town and Kamoenai Village, both in Hokkaido, and to Genkai Town in Saga Prefecture, Kyushu, for their acceptance of literature surveys toward the selection of a final disposal site for high-level radioactive waste (HLW).
Turning then to the geological disposal business in general, a core mission of NUMO, Yamaguchi said that the principal issues “must resolved by society as a whole,” and that he was primed for his heavy responsibility.
Regarding the literature surveys in the two Hokkaido municipalities—which began four years ago in 2020—the Advisory Committee for Natural Resources and Energy’s working group of experts and specialists is now examining them and will draw up reports. However, the prefectural governor must agree before the next stage (preliminary investigations) can begin.
Asked about the examinations, Yamaguchi said that NUMO alone could not decide. He indicated that the organization’s intention was to work quietly, steadily and without preconceptions on investigation activities, adding clearly that he wanted to visit the three municipalities (including Genkai, where the literature survey began last month) as soon as possible.
The new president also said that he would endeavor to enhance public understanding of the final disposal business, and that, in order to increase the number of regions accepting literature surveys, he would “strengthen cooperation with the national government and operators, and proceed with providing information to regions (throughout Japan) and carrying out activities rooted in them.”
In his previous career, the new NUMO president had already demonstrated strong capabilities in promoting nuclear policy. His experience includes chairing a working group and the Nuclear Energy Subcommittee under the Advisory Committee for Natural Resources and Energy, and leading the Nuclear Research and Development, Infrastructure and Human Resources Working Group of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT).
Yamaguchi concluded the July 3 press conference by saying, “Nuclear energy creates very high value by completing all the steps from fuel fabrication and generation to reprocessing and final disposal. It also contributes to energy security and represents a strong climate change countermeasure.” He thus emphasized the importance of the nuclear fuel cycle and the unique worth of nuclear energy.
