Tony de Brum and Marshall Islands voted “2016 Arms Control Person of the Year” via Parliamentarians for Nuclear Non-proliferation and Disarmamenet

The Arms Control Association announced today that The Republic of the Marshall Islands and its former Foreign Minister Tony de Brum, were voted as the “2016 Arms Control Person of the Year.” Over 1,850 individuals from 63 countries voted on a list of ten individuals and organizations nominated for the award, all of whom took exceptional leadership in 2016 for disarmament and arms control.

Marshall Islands and the cases before the International Court of Justice

The Marshall Islands was instrumental in the success of the 1995 case in the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on the illegality of the threat or use of nuclear weapons. The Marshall Islands testimony on the impact of nuclear tests led the ICJ to conclude that ‘the destructive power of nuclear weapons cannot be contained in time or space.

Then as Foreign Minister in 2014, Tony de Brum initiated lawsuits in a U.S. Federal Court against the United States, and in the International Court of Justice against the nine nuclear armed States in an attempt to compel them to implement their obligation to achieve complete nuclear disarmament. Over 5 million people signed a petition endorsing these cases. See Nuclear Zero lawsuits.

[…]

Nuclear tests in the Marshall Islands

The catastrophic impact of nuclear testing on the health and environment of the Marshall Islands led Mr de Brum to dedicate his life to nuclear abolition.

At age nine, Tony de Brum witnessed the greatest-ever hellfire ignited by the USA, the Castle Bravo Bomb, a thousand times more powerful than the Hiroshima bomb and detonated in 1954.

It was in the morning and I was fishing with my grandfather. He was throwing the net and suddenly the silent bright flash – and then a force, the shock wave. Everything turned red – the ocean, the fish, the sky, and my grandfather’s net. And we were 200 miles away from ground zero. A memory that can never be erased.”

Nuclear disarmament and climate change

Mr de Brum has also been instrumental in making the links between nuclear weapons and climate change – both existential issues which have made many Marshall Islanders nuclear and climate change refugees – see Bikini Atoll islanders forced into exile after nuclear tests, now find new homes under threat from climate change.

As such, Mr de Brum has been an effective leading member of the Alliance of Small Island States in the Climate Change negotiations. The Alliance was recognised by President Obama as highlighting the reality that climate change is already impacting on peoples around the world. See Obama Says He’s an ‘Island Boy’ in Climate Meeting With Small Island Leaders.

 

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Radioactive contamination spreading in shuttered Hanford Site nuclear plant via RT

The Hanford Site plant in Washington hasn’t been operational since 1967, but continues to spread radioactive waste, with a demolition date earmarked as late as 2032.

Although it hasn’t been operational for nearly 50 years, a report published by the Tri-City Herald has found that radioactive contamination is spreading inside the plant’s Reduction-Oxidation Complex (REDOX) and could be worsened as the facility deteriorates.

The facility is roughly half the size of Rhode Island and because REDOX is located so deeply in the center, it poses little risk to the public. However, preventing the problem from worsening isn’t going to be cheap. The report recommends that $148 to $181 million be spent on interim cleanup and maintenance.

The plant processed 24,000 tons of irradiated uranium fuel rods to remove plutonium for nuclear weapons during the Cold War.

The Hanford Site is not scheduled to be dismantled for at least another 15 years triggering concerns that conditions will continue to worsen given it’s current state.

[…]

The Department of Energy (DOE) has yet to make a decision on how to handle the current contamination situation, but is going to consider public comments until 20 January.

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原発のない東北みんなで考える 29日シンポ via 河北新報

東日本大震災と東京電力福島第1原発事故後の復興の在り方から、東北電力女川原発(宮城県女川町、石巻市)の再稼働問題を議論するシンポジウム「原発のない東北の復興を考える」(脱原発をめざす宮城県議の会、実行委員会主催)が29日、仙台市青葉区の仙台国際センターで開かれる。

金子勝慶応大教授が「『脱原発』成長論 分散ネットワーク型社会へ向けて」と題して講演。再生可能エネルギーへの転換による、原発に頼らない地域づくりを提言する。

(略)

午後1時開会。入場無料。

全文は原発のない東北みんなで考える 29日シンポ 

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SF Japan Consulate Speak-Out Stop Restarting Japan’s Nuclear Reactors-Evacuate Children via No-Nukes Action Committee

1/11 SF Japan Consulate Speak-Out Stop Restarting Japan’s Nuclear Reactors Evacuate Children and Families From Fukushima
Wednesday January 11, 2017 3:00 PM
San Francisco Japanese Consulate
275 Battery St./California St.
San Francisco

On Wednesday January 11, 2017, there will be a speak out against the restarting of more than 40 of Japan’s nuclear power plants. The government has told the residents of Fukushima that it is safe but independent surveys show that it is still highly contaminated. Over 175 children have already been diagnosed with thyroid cancer and this is expanding. While the government is subsidizing Tokyo Electric Power Company which has had to be nationalized the Abe government is telling families and children that they have to return to Fukushima or their subsidy will be cut. The are economically pressuring the refugees to return to a dangerous contaminated area in order to pretend that they have “decontaminated” Fukushima. Even former prime ministers Koizumi and Kan are against restarting the nuclear power plants but the government is pushing ahead.
Railroad workers who area with rank and file rail unions Doro-Mito (National Railway Motive Power Union of Mito) and Doro-Chiba (National Railway Motive Power Union of Chiba) are also protesting the plans to re-open the rail lines even with the contamination and there have been strikes and protests against this policy.
They also have passed a “secrecy law” that is being used to intimidate and silence reporters and citizens from speaking out and investigating the growing and continuing Fukushima disaster. The cost is monumental yet they are taking action that will lead to another Fukushima with Japan being located on the “ring of fire” where massive earthquakes are certain to hit again.
The Abe government also told the International Olympic Committee and the people of the world that the Fukushima “problem” had been solved. This flagrant and blatant falsification has been exposed again and again following the declaration from the Abe government including the continuing massive costs of supposedly “cleaning up” the catastrophe.
The Abe government is also preparing a “conspiracy bill” that will be used to silence all those who even opposed nuclear power. The people of the United States need to stand with the people of Japan in their efforts to keep the plants shut down and the protection of families and children in Fukushima.

Speak Out and Rally initiated by
No Nukes Action Committee
http://nonukesaction.wordpress.com/

 

 

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Quake risk for Japanese-French nuclear plant in Turkey lowered to keep costs down, sources say via The Japan Times

Government-commissioned research firms have come up with a questionably low estimate for how badly an earthquake could rattle a nuclear power plant being built in Turkey by a Japanese-French venture, sources say.

The estimated “peak ground acceleration” — the term for ground motion caused by a quake — for the plant in the Black Sea province of Sinop is significantly lower than estimates given for quake-prone Japan’s nuclear power plants, and that means it could be an attempt to reduce construction costs, the sources said Saturday.

Turkey is often struck by earthquakes.

The peak ground acceleration for the Sinop plant was estimated at around 400 gal (or 400 cm per second squared), but some experts said it should be “at least 500 gal, based on Japanese standards” and the topography and geography around Sinop.

For instance, the assumed ground acceleration is 620 gal for Kyushu Electric Power Co.’s Sendai nuclear power plant and 856 gal for Kansai Electric Power Co.’s Oi plant.

The assessment was part of a study commissioned by the Agency for Natural Resources and Energy, which is overseen by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry. The aim of the study was to examine potential nuclear power plant construction deals involving Japanese companies in Turkey and Vietnam.

Tokyo-based Japan Atomic Power Co. contracted to undertake the ¥2.4 billion ($20.5 million) study and outsourced the ground acceleration estimate and assessment of active fault zones around the site to other Japanese research firms.

Japan Atomic said it “cannot disclose details of the study” and METI’s agency said it has “not received a report” about the matter.

The joint venture by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd. and French nuclear giant Areva SA was granted exclusive negotiating rights in 2013 to build the Sinop plant. The administration of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is eager to export nuclear technology to such emerging nations as Turkey and India as part of his national growth strategy.

[…]

 

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「原発再稼働は認めない」と断言した新潟県知事に、東電・原子力ムラのネガティブキャンペーンが激化!via LITERA

東京電力の数土文夫会長と廣瀬直己社長らが5日、新潟県庁で米山隆一知事と初めて面談をした。冒頭で数土会長は知事選当選祝いから切り出し、「一番重要視すべきステークホルダーは何と言っても地元の方々」と“新潟県民ファースト”の考えを示し、福島原発事故の検証を進める県への協力も申し出た。

東電トップが丁重な姿勢で初面談に臨んだのは、言うまでもなく、年間1千億もの収益改善効果が見込める「柏崎刈羽原発」(同県柏崎市と刈羽村)の再稼働が再建計画の柱になっていたためだ。しかし原発問題が最大の争点の新潟県知事選(10月16日投開票)で初当選をした米山知事は、「現状では再稼働は認められない」「福島原発事故の3つの検証が終わらない限り、再稼働の議論はできない」と繰り返し訴えた。

そこで東電は「そんな米山知事を何とか懐柔したい」と下手に出たに違いないが、その目論見はすぐに打ち砕かれた。米山知事は選挙中の訴え(県民との約束)をこの日も繰り返して初志貫徹、「検証には数年かかる」と明言もした。この瞬間、柏崎刈羽原発の再稼働が最低でも数年は困難となったのだ。

米山知事がこだわる3つの検証項目は、「1・福島原発事故の原因解明」と「2・事故による住民の健康と生活への影響」と「3・柏崎刈羽原発で事故が起きた時の避難計画」のことだ。すでに泉田裕彦知事時代に設置された「県技術委員会」や「(東電と県の)合同委員会」が事故原因解明の検証を進めてきたが、残り2つの検証については手薄なため、体制拡充する方針も米山知事は東電トップに伝えた。

(略)

JR柏崎駅から北西に8キロほど日本海沿いに走ると、世界最大規模の東京電力「柏崎刈羽原子力発電所」に着く。“産みの親”というべき田中角栄・元首相の実家はここから10キロ足らず。海辺の砂浜を歩いていくと、フェンス越しに7基の原発施設が立ち並ぶ光景が近づいてくるが、一帯は砂地の軟弱地盤。もともと農地開発する予定だった二束三文の土地が、田中角栄・元首相の系列会社を経て東電に転売された結果、およそ立地に相応しくないところに原発群が建設されたのだ。

(略)

ちなみに福島第一原発に重要免震棟が完成したのは、東日本大震災のわずか8カ月前。この重要免震棟で吉田昌郎所長(故人)が原発事故対応の陣頭指揮を取ったことに注目すれば、泉田前知事もまた現場に最後まで残った吉田所長ら“決死隊”社員と同様、「関東圏に人が住めなくなる」という最悪の事態回避に貢献した功労者に違いない。

現場体験で「原子力防災の第一人者」に鍛え上げられた泉田前知事の知名度がアップするにつれて、原子力ムラの攻撃は激しさを増し、古巣の経産省からは「変人知事」という情報を流されるようにもなった。現役霞ヶ関官僚がペンネームで書いた小説『原発ホワイトアウト』(若杉冽/講談社)では、泉田前知事をモデルにした伊豆田知事が原発推進勢力の仕掛けた陰謀で逮捕されて失脚、その後に原発テロでメルトダウンに至る結末となっていた。

この小説と同じようなことが現実で起きた。自民党と地元紙「新潟日報」と東電が水面下で連携しているようにみえる“泉田知事降ろしキャンペーン”が新潟県知事選を控えた昨年夏頃から激しくなり、告示を1カ月後に迫った8月30日に泉田知事が4選出馬撤回を発表したのだ。

(略)

東電の次なる手段が見えてきた。それは、経産省など原発推進勢力を総動員して「原発は地球温暖化対策に有効」「化石燃料輸入で国富流出」「地震時の予備電源になる」「再稼働しないと電気料金は下がらない」といった情報を流して世論を誘導、検証に時間をかける米山知事への批判が噴出するようにするというものだ。

実際、米山知事の囲み取材では産経新聞がこんな質問をしている。

「(東電が福島原発)事故処理費用を捻出して税金とか電気料金値上げを通じての国民負担を最小化するという意味で『一定程度の再稼動も必要』という意見もあるが、検証の長期化と国民負担の兼ね合いについてどうお考えですか」

米山知事は「知事の責務は県民の命と暮らしを守ること。基本的には私が第一に考えることではない」と答えたが、「国民負担最小化を阻害する新潟県」といった批判が出ることを狙ったのは明らかだ。

全文は「原発再稼働は認めない」と断言した新潟県知事に、東電・原子力ムラのネガティブキャンペーンが激化!

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「美しい言葉にだまされまい」脱原発派市民らが冊子 via 京都新聞

脱原発を求めて関西電力京都支社前(京都市下京区)で抗議デモを行う市民らが、活動への思いをつづった冊子「美しい言葉にだまされまい」を作成した。

抗議デモは2012年6月に始まり、毎週金曜の関電前にちなんで「キンカン行動」と呼ばれる。

(略)

広島での被爆や旧満州での戦争体験を踏まえ、行動するに至った経緯を紹介。核や放射能の恐ろしさを伝え、「戦争も原発も未来に残せない」「子どもの未来に平和と安穏を」と訴えている。

全文は「美しい言葉にだまされまい」脱原発派市民らが冊子

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「脱原発」に感銘、1200万円寄付 佐賀・伊万里市に via 朝日新聞

脱原発の姿勢に感銘を受けました――。九州電力玄海原発の30キロ圏内にあり、市長が再稼働反対を表明している佐賀県伊万里市に、東京のNPO法人の理事ら有志5人がふるさと納税で計1200万円を寄付した。返礼品の伊万里牛は、NPOが奨学金を支給している熊本地震で被災した高校生などに贈られる。

NPOは能力を持ちながら恵まれない高校生に奨学金を出しているJBC・CSR基金(河合弘之理事長)。ふるさと納税で奨学生においしい牛肉を贈ることを検討するなか、ブランド牛の産地で、塚部芳和市長が再稼働反対を昨年表明した伊万里を選んだ。

(略)

菅波さんは、再稼働反対を唱えた3日付の朝日新聞のインタビュー記事にも触れ、「にわか伊万里ファンになりました」と激励した。塚部市長は「孤立しがちだけど、勇気づけられました」と応じた。

市長は「脱原発というけれど、一度動かしたらなかなか転換できないだろう。止まっている今こそ転換するべきだ」と語り、「高校生たちにおいしい伊万里牛を届けます」と約束した。

全文は「脱原発」に感銘、1200万円寄付 佐賀・伊万里市に

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WATCHDOGS: Zion’s nuclear fallout; still reeling from ’98 closing via Chicago Sun Times

Workers are methodically dismantling the once-mighty Zion nuclear power plant. Just up the road in the far north suburb, a different kind of dismantling is taking place.

The small Lake County city of Zion — founded at the start of the last century as the new “City of God” and once a bustling little blue-collar bedroom community — is staggering. Crushed by the loss of half its property-tax base when the power plant was closed in 1998, it faces the foreseeable future as a nuclear waste dump.

It wasn’t supposed be this way.

“The understanding was that Zion would have a nuclear power plant on the lakefront and that it would be an eyesore but that there could be some economic development down the line,” Zion Mayor Al Hill says. “The understanding also was that, when they closed it, it would be gone. That’s not what happened.”

What happened is that no one can agree on where to put about 1,000 tons of spent nuclear fuel rods. So they will stay, sealed inside stainless steel canisters, encased in concrete and stacked in neat rows of 20-feet-tall cylinders on a concrete pad, all huddled together along some of Illinois’ most beautiful lakefront shoreline.

“We are,” Hill says, “a nuclear waste dump.”

[…]

The Bourdeaus, who put their impressive inventory of antiques on sale for half price before closing, hope to sell the building they’ve owned since 1994. They aren’t happy that the nuclear waste is being kept at the power-plant site less than a mile away.

“I think it’s just stupid to leave it there,” Sharon Bourdeau says. “Why would they put it next to the water supply for millions of people?”

[…]

Redmond points out that all U.S. taxpayers, not just electricity rate-payers, are paying for nuclear-waste disposal thanks to the industry’s successful lawsuit against the Energy Department. As of last year, more than $5 billion has been paid out of that judgment fund, he says, with some estimates suggesting that number could climb to almost $30 billion before a storage solution is found.

[…]

David Kraft, director of the Nuclear Energy Information Service, an opponent of nuclear power, has been monitoring the situation in Zion. He says that, while the on-site waste storage there isn’t ideal, his organization doesn’t support an interim storage plan.

“The responsible position is to leave it there and only move it once,” he says — to a permanent storage location.

But Kraft acknowledges that’s probably decades away, given the time it’s likely to take to find and build a suitable permanent storage location.

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福島で震度3 via Reuters

8日午後1時15分ごろ、福島県で震度3の地震があった。気象庁によると、震源地は福島県沖で、震源の深さは約50キロ。地震の規模はマグニチュード(M)4・2と推定される。

(略)

震度3=いわき、富岡(福島)▽震度2=小名浜、いわき平四ツ波、須賀川長沼、二本松、田村、川俣、天栄、中島、広野、楢葉、川内、浪江、飯舘(福島)日立助川、高萩、北茨城、常陸大宮山方(茨城)▽震度1=丸森(宮城)福島、郡山、白河(福島)水戸、日立、土浦(茨城)大田原湯津上(栃木)など

全文は福島で震度3

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