nuclear accidents

Tokyo, 14 October 1999 - Following the Tokaimura nuclear accident, Greenpeace Japan has sent a letter of demands to Ibaragi Prefecture, the Science and Technology Agency, and the Health and Welfare Ministry today requesting the registration and long-term health monitoring of all persons present in the two kilometer zone around the accident site during the 20 hours it occurred

The demands are based on Greenpeace's investigation into the Tokaimura accident that concluded that official health checks were insufficient.

Fukui City, 13 October - British Nuclear Fuels the producers of MOX fuel for Kansai Electric Power Company (KEPCO) are ignoring basic safety and quality standards of industrial production in an apparent attempt to reduce production costs, Greenpeace and Green Action claimed today.

The accusation comes after the two organisations commissioned an assessment by Dr. Frank Barnaby following the revelation that quality control data was falsified. Three workers accused of being responsible for the falsification were fired from BNFL last week.

Our campaign against nuclear power in Japan

The numbers of people who suffered radiation exposure during the nuclear accident at the Tokaimura uranium plant was almost certainly higher than the Government estimates of forty-nine due to the high levels of neutron radiation, coupled with the slow evacuation of the area, Greenpeace said today, based on results of an investigation around the site.

Releasing the monitoring results in Mito city and Tokyo today, Greenpeace said that it had found evidence of radioactive fallout. Greenpeace also found high radiation levels on a public road near the plant on Sunday - 24 hours after the all-clear was given by the Government - and compelling evidence of high levels of neutron radiation. Neutron radiation is the most penetrating and one of the most dangerous forms of radiation.

Tokaimura, Oct 4, 1999 - A public road close to the scene of last Thursday's nuclear accident in Japan has been reopened despite levels of radiation remaining well above background levels.

The Genken Road was reopened to the public after Chief Secretary to the Cabinet, Hiromu Nonaka stated: "We have confirmed that the radiation levels, even in the area 350 metres from the plant have returned to normal."

But measurements taken by a Greenpeace team on Sunday revealed levels of radioactivity to be five times background levels.

Commenting on the nuclear accident today at the Tokai uranium processing plant in Japan, Greenpeace said:

"The Japanese nuclear accident is a deadly reminder of the inescapable dangers of nuclear power."

"Japanese grasp of technology is world reknowned and second to none. But when it comes to nuclear power they are in the same boat as the operators of Windscale, Three Mile Island and Chernobyl. Mixing human fallibility and nuclear physics is not worth the risk."

Warns that EU Commission's weakness jeopardizes early shutdown of other dangerous reactors in CEE