原発新安全基準 丁寧な説明で早期に再稼働を

The Yomiuri Shimbun (Apr. 6, 2012)
Edano must carefully explain need to restart Oi reactors
原発新安全基準　丁寧な説明で早期に再稼働を（4月5日付・読売社説）

Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda instructed a meeting of ministers related to nuclear power safety to draw up a new set of safety criteria for the restart of the Nos. 3 and 4 reactors at the Oi nuclear power plant in Fukui Prefecture, which is operated by Kansai Electric Power Co.
　福井県にある関西電力大飯原子力発電所３、４号機の再稼働に向けた関係閣僚会合で、野田首相は原発の新たな安全基準の策定を指示した。

Noda gave the instruction because Fukui Gov. Issei Nishikawa and others demanded the central government create new guidelines on nuclear plant safety based on lessons learned from the crisis at the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant operated by Tokyo Electric Power Co. as a condition for agreeing to the restart of the idle reactors.
　福井県知事らが、東京電力福島第一原発の事故を踏まえた安全基準なしでは再稼働に同意できない、としているためだ。

To reactivate suspended reactors, it is essential that the prefecture and municipalities hosting them understand their safety. The central government should compile the new safety guidelines as soon as possible and quickly start to convince them to agree with the restart.
　再稼働には、安全性に対する地元の理解が欠かせない。政府は安全基準の策定を急ぎ、速やかに地元の説得を開始すべきである。

The Democratic Party of Japan-led government has been postponing the restart of suspended reactors by implementing additional procedures not called for by law, such as the introduction of stress tests and examinations by the Nuclear Safety Commission.
　民主党政権は、ストレステスト（耐性検査）の導入や原子力安全委員会の審査など、法律に基づかない手続きを次々に追加し、再稼働の実現を先延ばししてきた。

As a result of its makeshift measures, only one reactor now remains operating among the 54 around the country. But its operations will be also stopped in early May.
　場当たり的な対応の結果、全原発５４基で運転中は１基に減り、これも５月初旬に停止する。

If nothing is done, Japan will experience a serious electricity shortage this summer, inflicting heavy damage on its already sagging economy.
　このまま夏を迎えれば、深刻な電力不足に陥り、足踏みが続く日本経済に大打撃を与えよう。

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New safety guidelines

The prime minister and related ministers should decide on resumption of reactor operations at the Oi plant quickly, without any further waste of time.
　首相や関係閣僚は時間を空費せず、大飯原発の再稼働を、早期に決断する必要がある。

The new guidelines are said to give structure and substance to the contents of a 30-item list of safety measures already drawn up by the Economy, Trade and Industry Ministry's Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency.
　新たな基準は、経済産業省の原子力安全・保安院がすでに策定した３０項目の安全対策を整理し、肉付けした内容になるという。

We expect the new guidelines to illustrate in an easy-to-understand manner measures to avoid a serious crisis like the one that developed at the Fukushima nuclear plant by preventing a complete loss of the plant's operating power even if the plant is hit by a massive earthquake and colossal tsunami.
　巨大な地震や津波が起きた場合でも、全電源喪失などを回避し、福島原発のような過酷事故を防ぐための対策を、わかりやすく示すことが求められる。

To obtain the approval of local governments for restarting the reactors, the government must take responsibility for confirming the safety of nuclear power plants. Toward that goal, it is also essential to foster a trusting relationship between ministers related to nuclear safety and concerned local governments.
　地元の了承を得るには、政府が原発の安全確認に責任を持たなければならない。関係閣僚と地元自治体の間で、信頼関係を構築することも不可欠だ。

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Edano's remarks indiscreet

In that light, it is a problem that an indiscreet remark by Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Yukio Edano has increased a sense of distrust among concerned local governments.
　その点で、枝野経産相の不用意な発言が、関係自治体の不信感を増幅させたのは問題だ。

"At present, I'm also against the restart [of the idle reactors at the Oi plant]," Edano said at the House of Councillors Budget Committee on Monday.
　枝野氏は２日の参院予算委員会で、大飯原発に関し「現時点で私も再稼働反対だ」と答弁した。

Also, when asked to define which local authorities are concerned with the Oi plant, he told the committee that it would be local authorities "all over Japan."
　原発の「地元」の範囲について「あえて聞かれれば日本全国」と語り、

The resumed operation of the Oi plant's reactors also requires consent from the governors of Shiga and Kyoto prefectures, which neighbor Fukui Prefecture, he added.
福井県に隣接する京都府と滋賀県の知事の理解も得る必要があるとの考えも示した。

It was very careless of Edano to make a thoughtless series of gaffes that might toughen requirements for the restart of the idle reactors by himself. We suspect he may not be truly aware of his responsibility as a minister in charge of securing a stable power supply.
　自ら安易に再稼働へのハードルを上げるような発言を連発したのは軽率すぎる。電力安定供給に責任を負う閣僚として自覚を欠いているのではないか。

He has caused misunderstanding and confusion among the local governments hosting the Oi nuclear plant and others nearby. We fully understand why his remarks were severely criticized.
　大飯原発の地元や周辺自治体の誤解や混乱を招いた。厳しく批判されたのもうなずける。

Edano corrected part of his remarks, but his true intentions have not necessarily been clarified. If the situation remains unresolved, it might make the leaders of the prefecture and municipalities hosting the plant hesitate to agree to the resumption of reactor operations.
　枝野氏は発言内容を一部修正したが、真意は必ずしも明確でない。このままでは、原発の立地する県や市町村の首長が、再稼働の受け入れをためらいかねない。

Edano must retract his remarks and carefully explain his intentions in detail.
　前言を撤回し、丁寧に説明することが必要である。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, April 5, 2012)
（2012年4月5日01時52分  読売新聞）