December 6, 2014
Declaration
To protest The Japanese Diet’s over-hasty approval of the “Convention on Supplementary Compensation for Nuclear Damage” (CSC), which heavily protects the nuclear power industry and encourages nuclear exports
On November 19, the “Convention on Supplementary Compensation for Nuclear Damage” (CSC) was ratified by the House of Councilors. We strongly object to today’s vote to approve this treaty, without any discussion of its numerous problems, which was rushed through to accommodate the Abe administration’s schedule for dissolving the Lower House of the Diet.
The treaty promotes the export of nuclear power technology while ignoring the lessons of the Fukushima accident.
Specifically, we raise the following issues:
1) The exemption of nuclear power technology vendors from liability/responsibility for reparations. This will result in increased exports of nuclear power technology.
2) The use of international funds for nuclear accident damage compensation above a fixed amount. This will serve to benefit any nuclear technology vendor who causes an accident.
3) As a result of items 1 and 2, parties involved in the nuclear energy business only profit, without taking any risk – leading to moral hazard and the acceleration of nuclear exports.
4) By placing fixed restrictions on items eligible for nuclear accident compensation, it becomes likely that divergent claims for reparations will go unpaid.
5) By failing to adopt the principle of “unlimited liability” in Japan’s Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Act governing nuclear power damages compensation (i.e. nuclear power technology vendors are required to pay an unrestricted amount of compensation), it opens the way for the establishment of a cap (maximum limit) for payment of damages.
6) Despite nuclear accident damages extending far beyond national borders, legal jurisdiction is focused in the nation where the accident originated, meaning a case can only be brought to court in that particular country.
7) As a result of items 4 – 6, the victims of nuclear power accidents are left unprotected.
According to the Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Act based on the principle of concentrating primary liability for damages, Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) is the principal party responsible for compensating damages resulting from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant accident. However, in actuality, due to the system set up under the Nuclear Damage Compensation Facilitation Corporation Act, the burden is having to be borne by the consumer and taxpayer.
This treaty extends this type of irresponsible system internationally.
Nuclear power is in and of itself a dangerous and non-efficient system for supplying electricity. It cannot exist without lavish public protection.
Rushing through this treaty’s approval during this Diet session can only be seen as accommodating the “nuclear village”.
The Fukushima Daiichi accident is ongoing with no end in sight. So many people have lost their homeland.
What Japan should be exporting instead, based on this experience, is the wisdom, practical design, and philosophy for realizing a renewable energy system.
We will, with many others, oppose the export of nuclear technology, based on the lessons learned from the Fukushima accident.
Initiated by:
Friends of the Earth Japan
Green Action (Japan)
No Nukes Asia Forum Japan
Endorsed by:
North east Asia Information Center, Green Forest Kansai, Tokyo Occupational Safety and Health Center People to make our Constitution in realty Fukushima Beacon for Global Citizens Network Kaku-no-Gomi campaign, chubu JFOR( Japan Fellowship of Reconciliation ) RenewableHydrogenNetwork Kinohanasha Niji to MIdori no kai MIdori Fukushima Documentation Centre 'The Seeds Beneath the Snow', No Nukes! Noniyuku-kai, Noto Nuclear Emergency Preparedness & Response Research Hiroshima Setouchi himbun Citizens Against Nuclear Power Plants, Takarazuka Japan Alternatives Ponte fra Italia e Giappone - TomoAmici NNAA Class Action Against the Nuclear Reactor Builders No Nukes, Join in Western Japan/Madams Meeting Yotsuba Home Delivery Keiji Co,LTD Shinagawa's women who consider a nuclear power plant Japan Bear&Forest association Shiga Prefecture Branch genpatsu maker sosho no kai beqerefree Hokkaido Greenpeace Japan Atomkraftfreie Welt-SAYONARA GENPATSU Duesseldorf, Tokai No Nukes Network For Future Generations femin women's democratic club kanagawa kakumondai shouiinkai Fukushima women against Nukes Campaign for Nuclear-free Japan The Peace and Nuclear Issues Committee of the National Christian Council in Japan Kizuna Japon People Thinking of Local Autonomy for No-Nukes Hokkaido Against nukes Akune Kyoto YWCA Wind of Citizens toward Uniting for Peace Association of Izumi Citizens Who Question the Restart of the Sendai Nuclear Power Plant Osaka Citizens against the Mihama, Oi and Takahama Nuclear Power Plants (Mihama-no-Kai) no nukes kobe No Nukes Action No Nukes Akashi Octopi Group The Takagi Fund for Citizen Science Christian Network for Nuke-Free Earth
Contact:
Friends of the Earth Japan
1-21-9 Komone Itabashi-ku Tokyo 173-0037
TEL: (+81)3-6909-5983
FAX: (+81)3-6909-5986
E-mail: info@foejapan.org
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