ID :
180711
Sun, 05/08/2011 - 16:34
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/180711
The shortlink copeid
U.S. concerned about antiterror steps at Japan nuke plants: WikiLeaks
NEW YORK, May 8 Kyodo - The United States expressed concern about antiterrorism measures taken at Japan's nuclear power plants in cables sent from the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo to Washington in 2006 and 2007, according to the documents released on whistleblower website WikiLeaks on Saturday.
In a cable dated Feb. 26, 2007, the embassy reported about a meeting with Japanese government officials who explained that ''an assessment of local needs and resources had indicated that there was not a sufficient threat to justify armed police'' at a nuclear facility in Tokaimura, Ibaraki Prefecture.
The officials of the nuclear safety division at the Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Ministry were responding to questions by U.S. diplomats about their concerns over the ''physical protection'' of nuclear power facilities in Japan and the absence of armed guards at the Tokaimura facility, which the cable described as ''a major plutonium storage site.''
The officials also said that nuclear plant operators and police ''determine the threat for individual plants and the necessity for armed guards'' and that civilian guards cannot be armed under Japanese law.
The cable also said the United States urged Japan to require background checks on ''workers with access to sensitive areas at nuclear facilities'' before hiring them, but the officials said that would be ''very difficult.''
They said the Japanese government ''is constitutionally prevented from mandating such checks and wishes to avoid raising what is a deeply sensitive privacy issue for Japanese society,'' while admitting that such checks may be conducted ''unofficially.''
Another cable dated Jan. 27, 2006, reports that an antiterrorism drill held at Kansai Electric Power Co.'s Mihama nuclear power plant in Fukui Prefecture in November 2005 ''went very smoothly'' but ''was a bit too scripted and perfect.''
A separate cable dated Nov. 2, 2006, concerning another antiterrorism drill held in September that year in Tokaimura said even some Japanese officials ''pointed out flaws in the drill, saying it was unrealistic because participants had advance copies of the scenario.''
In a cable dated Feb. 26, 2007, the embassy reported about a meeting with Japanese government officials who explained that ''an assessment of local needs and resources had indicated that there was not a sufficient threat to justify armed police'' at a nuclear facility in Tokaimura, Ibaraki Prefecture.
The officials of the nuclear safety division at the Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Ministry were responding to questions by U.S. diplomats about their concerns over the ''physical protection'' of nuclear power facilities in Japan and the absence of armed guards at the Tokaimura facility, which the cable described as ''a major plutonium storage site.''
The officials also said that nuclear plant operators and police ''determine the threat for individual plants and the necessity for armed guards'' and that civilian guards cannot be armed under Japanese law.
The cable also said the United States urged Japan to require background checks on ''workers with access to sensitive areas at nuclear facilities'' before hiring them, but the officials said that would be ''very difficult.''
They said the Japanese government ''is constitutionally prevented from mandating such checks and wishes to avoid raising what is a deeply sensitive privacy issue for Japanese society,'' while admitting that such checks may be conducted ''unofficially.''
Another cable dated Jan. 27, 2006, reports that an antiterrorism drill held at Kansai Electric Power Co.'s Mihama nuclear power plant in Fukui Prefecture in November 2005 ''went very smoothly'' but ''was a bit too scripted and perfect.''
A separate cable dated Nov. 2, 2006, concerning another antiterrorism drill held in September that year in Tokaimura said even some Japanese officials ''pointed out flaws in the drill, saying it was unrealistic because participants had advance copies of the scenario.''
