英字新聞

(Mainichi Japan) August 23, 2011
Gov't should take responsibility for decontaminating soil tainted with radiation
社説：放射能汚染対策　説明尽くし国の責任で

The Japanese government appears prepared to go ahead with the decontamination of soil tainted with radioactive substances leaking from the tsunami-hit Fukushima No. 1 Nuclear Power Plant after the ruling and opposition parties agreed to enact legislation to make up for a legal flaw.
　やっと法の不備が見直され、東京電力福島第１原発事故で拡散した放射性物質による環境汚染対策が進む見通しになった。

The ruling Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) and two key opposition parties -- the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and New Komeito -- have agreed on the details of a special measures bill on land decontamination and disposal of rubble contaminated with radioactive substances.
　民主、自民、公明３党が、土地の除染や汚染がれきの処理のための特別措置法案で合意した。

The bill likely will be submitted to the Diet as a lawmaker-initiated bill and become law during the ongoing session.
議員立法で今国会に提出され、成立の予定だ。

The Waste Disposal and Public Cleaning Law does not cover the disposal of rubble contaminated with radioactive substances.
　放射性物質に汚染されたがれきなどの処理は、現行の廃棄物処理法の対象外で、処理の方法や主体などがこれまで規定されていなかった。

If enacted, the new law would be the first to cover how to deal with radiation contamination outside the premises of nuclear power plants.
　成立すれば、放射性物質拡散による原発敷地外の環境汚染に対応する初めての法律になる。

Under the bill, the environment minister would designate areas with high levels of radiation as "special areas." 　放射性物質を除去し、放射線量を下げる除染は、必要な場所について環境相が「特別地域」に指定。

The national government would decontaminate the designated areas based on a plan it would work out after listening to the opinions of the local governments concerned.
自治体の意見を聞いて国が実施計画を作り、除染する。

The minister would also designate areas where radioactive rubble must be disposed of, and the national government would collect such waste, and transport, store and dispose it at its own responsibility.
汚染がれきについても、環境相が対策地域を指定し、収集や運搬、保管、処分は国が行う。

The bill would require Tokyo Electric Power Co. (TEPCO), the operator of the crippled Fukushima power plant, to bear the costs of decontamination and disposal of rubble contaminated with radioactive substances as part of its compensation for the nuclear accident.
　いずれも費用は、原発事故の賠償対象として東電が負担する。これが法案の柱である。

Even though the bill would clarify the central government's responsibility for radiation contamination countermeasures, many hurdles must be cleared before such measures are implemented.
　国の責任は明確になるが、前途は多難だ。

In particular, it is difficult to predict when the environment of the areas where residents have been evacuated can be improved to a level where they can come back and live safely because such a large-scale decontamination operation is unprecedented anywhere in the world.
特に、住民が帰宅することを前提にした大掛かりな除染は世界にも例がなく、先は見えにくい。

Therefore, the national government is required to fully release information on how far it intends to reduce radiation levels in affected areas based on its monitoring and provide a thorough explanation.
　どの地域をどれくらいの放射線量まで低減させるのか。モニタリングに基づく情報の公開と、徹底的な説明責任が国には求められる。

The Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Ministry has for the first time released its estimation of annual cumulative radiation levels at 50 locations in no-entry areas within 20 kilometers from the Fukushima No. 1 Nuclear Power Plant.
　文部科学省は、福島第１原発から半径２０キロ圏内の警戒区域での事故発生１年間の推計積算放射線量を先日、初めて公表した。

At 35 of the locations, the amount surpassed 20 millisieverts -- a level that requires residents to evacuate -- suggesting that extensive decontamination operations will be needed over a long period.
５０地点中３５地点で、避難対象である２０ミリシーベルトを超えた。広範囲の除染の必要性をうかがわせ、今後の除染作業が長期かつ継続的になることが予想される。

The government should also fully release information suggesting that evacuated residents cannot easily return home.
　だが、たとえ住民の帰宅にとってマイナスの情報でも、事実を知ってもらうことが大前提だ。

Moreover, depending on radiation levels, it might not be realistic for residents to come home soon even if their neighborhoods were decontaminated in accordance with the bill.
　また、地域の放射能汚染の程度や範囲によっては、法案に沿って除染をして帰宅することが現実的でないこともあり得るだろう。

Prime Minister Naoto Kan is expected to travel to Fukushima Prefecture later this week to explain to the local governments concerned as well as residents that even if decontaminated, some areas will likely remain unfit for living for many years.
　菅直人首相は今週末にも福島県入りし、警戒区域内で相当長期間にわたり居住が難しい地域が残ることを直接、説明するとされる。

If so, the prime minister must show concrete data and explain how long evacuated residents must wait until they are allowed to return home in order to win their understanding.
　そうだとすれば、データをしっかりと示し、居住ができないと想定される期間などについて住民に十分説明し、理解を得なくてはならない。

Furthermore, Kan should also explain specific measures to extend assistance to residents of such areas, including where they will live for the time being.
さらに、今後どこで生活してもらうのかを含めた支援策についても考え方を示してもらいたい。

Difficult challenges to removing rubble will likely emerge in the future, such as how to secure a site for the disposal of ash generated after rubble contaminated with radioactive substances is incinerated.
　汚染がれきの撤去についても、今後難しい問題が浮上する。撤去後に焼却した後の汚染灰の最終的な処分場所である。

Questions also remain as to whether the final disposal site should be created in Fukushima Prefecture or other areas.
処分場を福島県内にするのか、他の都道府県にするのか。

The national government must take all possible measures to ensure safety in disposing of contaminated rubble and gain the understanding of local residents.
国は安全対策に万全を期したうえで、地元の理解を得る努力をしなければならない。

毎日新聞　2011年8月23日　東京朝刊