ID :
182984
Wed, 05/18/2011 - 17:09
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/182984
The shortlink copeid
Edano urges TEPCO not to prioritize selling land in Oze National Park
TOKYO, May 18 Kyodo - Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano urged Tokyo Electric Power Co. on Wednesday not to sell land the firm owns in Oze National Park to make compensation payments over the crisis at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power complex, prior to cashing out other assets or cutting costs.
His remark follows a media report that the company may sell the property to acquire cash to compensate victims of the crisis at the atomic power station in Fukushima Prefecture.
As concerns grow about whether the park would be managed well by a possible buyer, Edano suggested the utility should cut pensions and retirement pay first to secure funds to pay compensation for people affected by the nuclear disaster triggered by the March 11 earthquake and tsunami.
''Considering the order of priority, I think there are a lot'' of other assets the plant operator should consider whether to sell before letting go of the land in the park, Edano said during a news conference.
Tokyo Electric holds 43 percent of the land in the 37,200-hectare national park, a well-known extensive marshland, which is situated in four prefectures including Gunma and Fukushima.
The utility's land in the park was obtained by its predecessor before World War II to secure land for hydraulic power generation and Tokyo Electric took over the property in 1951 when it was established.
After the power plant construction plan was abandoned due in part to opposition from local residents, Tokyo Electric has owned about 70 percent of a government-designated special preservation area in the park and is said to be spending nearly 200 million yen a year in its efforts to protect the environment of the national park.
Some analysts also say if Tokyo Electric fails to find a private buyer for the land, the government will likely buy it, which could raise criticism that taxpayers' money should not be used to back up the utility.
Edano, meanwhile, said the government will consider in the medium and long terms whether it would be possible to bring about a partial separation of the utility's power transmission from its electricity generation.
''It's not a small issue, of which details can be considered in the short term. A broad consideration could be required,'' he said.
His remark follows a media report that the company may sell the property to acquire cash to compensate victims of the crisis at the atomic power station in Fukushima Prefecture.
As concerns grow about whether the park would be managed well by a possible buyer, Edano suggested the utility should cut pensions and retirement pay first to secure funds to pay compensation for people affected by the nuclear disaster triggered by the March 11 earthquake and tsunami.
''Considering the order of priority, I think there are a lot'' of other assets the plant operator should consider whether to sell before letting go of the land in the park, Edano said during a news conference.
Tokyo Electric holds 43 percent of the land in the 37,200-hectare national park, a well-known extensive marshland, which is situated in four prefectures including Gunma and Fukushima.
The utility's land in the park was obtained by its predecessor before World War II to secure land for hydraulic power generation and Tokyo Electric took over the property in 1951 when it was established.
After the power plant construction plan was abandoned due in part to opposition from local residents, Tokyo Electric has owned about 70 percent of a government-designated special preservation area in the park and is said to be spending nearly 200 million yen a year in its efforts to protect the environment of the national park.
Some analysts also say if Tokyo Electric fails to find a private buyer for the land, the government will likely buy it, which could raise criticism that taxpayers' money should not be used to back up the utility.
Edano, meanwhile, said the government will consider in the medium and long terms whether it would be possible to bring about a partial separation of the utility's power transmission from its electricity generation.
''It's not a small issue, of which details can be considered in the short term. A broad consideration could be required,'' he said.
