「核ごみ」調査、１日に申し入れ　佐賀県玄海町に、全国２例目―経産省

　経済産業省は３０日、原発から出る高レベル放射性廃棄物（核のごみ）の最終処分場選定を巡り、５月１日に佐賀県玄海町に対して文献調査の実施を申し入れると発表した。玄海町議会が４月２６日に調査の受け入れに関する請願を採択したことを受けた措置。国が申し入れを行うのは、２０２０年の北海道神恵内村に続き全国で２例目となる。
　同省資源エネルギー庁の松山泰浩次長（首席最終処分政策統括調整官）が玄海町を訪問し、脇山伸太郎町長に申し入れの文書を手渡す予定だ。
　文献調査は３段階で行われる調査の第１段階で、開始するには自治体が応募するか、国の申し入れを自治体が受諾する必要がある。請願の採択を踏まえ、脇山町長は５月中に調査の是非を判断する予定。国が申し入れを行うことで、受諾を後押しする狙いがある。（2024/04/30-21:00）

Japan's industry ministry plans to ask the town of Genkai, Saga Prefecture, on Wednesday to accept a "literature survey" for a final disposal site for high-level radioactive waste from nuclear plants, it was learned Tuesday.
   This will be the second time for the central government to ask a municipality to accept such a survey, which looks into papers and data to judge the suitability for hosting a final disposal site. The first request was made in 2020 to the village of Kamoenai in the northernmost prefecture of Hokkaido.
   The literature survey, the first of the three stages in the process of selecting a final disposal site, requires a local government application or approval of a request from the national government.
   On Friday, the Genkai town assembly in the southwestern region adopted a petition to accept a literature survey filed by local groups. Genkai Mayor Shintaro Wakiyama is expected to make a final decision on whether to accept the survey by the end of May.
   The central government apparently hopes that its planned request will help encourage the mayor to accept the survey.