核ごみ「文献調査」開始　全国初、北海道２町村で

　原子力発電環境整備機構（ＮＵＭＯ）は１７日、北海道の寿都町と神恵内村で、高レベル放射性廃棄物（核のごみ）の最終処分地選定の第１段階に当たる「文献調査」を全国で初めて開始したと発表した。同日、経済産業省が調査実施に必要な事業計画の変更を認可した。
　文献調査をめぐっては、２００７年に高知県東洋町が応募したが、調査が実施される前に撤回した経緯がある。文献調査の受け入れで、２町村はそれぞれ国から最大２０億円の交付金を得られる。
　ＮＵＭＯによると、文献調査では２年程度をかけて、地質図や学術論文をもとに地層や岩盤の強度などを分析。実際にボーリングで地層を調べる第２段階「概要調査」の候補地を探す。これと並行し、調査の進捗（しんちょく）報告や地域振興策について地域住民と意見交換する「対話の場」を開催する計画だが、時期や頻度は未定としている。（2020/11/17-21:15）

A first-stage survey began Tuesday in two municipalities in Hokkaido to see whether they have locations suited to host a final disposal facility for high-level radioactive waste from nuclear power plants in Japan.
   The Nuclear Waste Management Organization of Japan, or NUMO, started the so-called literature survey in the town of Suttsu and the village of Kamoenai in the northernmost Japan prefecture, marking the first time ever for the survey being conducted in the country. On the day, the industry ministry gave necessary approval for conducting the survey.
   Previously, the town of Toyo in Kochi Prefecture, western Japan, applied for a literature survey in 2007, but later canceled the application before the start of the survey.
   The literature survey, which checks geological literature and data, is the first of the three stages of examination in the selection process. Suttsu and Kamoenai will each get up to 2 billion yen in state subsidies in exchange for accepting the first-stage survey.
   NUMO will spend about two years checking geographical layers and the strength of bedrock in the two municipalities based on geological maps and academic papers. Through the first-stage work, the institute will pick candidate locations for the second-stage survey, called preliminary investigation, in which drilling work will be carried out to analyze geographical layers.