United States Senator Daniel K. Akaka (D - Hawaii) announced that the U.S. Department of State will brief members of the Hawaii Congressional delegation and U.S. Pacific territories on the proposed shipment later this year of weapons-usable, mixed plutonium/uranium oxide (MOX) fuel from Europe to Japan. The U.S. Government and International Atomic Energy Agency both consider MOX fuel to contain "direct use" nuclear weapons material. Akaka requested a briefing and voiced concern in response to reports that State Department review of a transportation plan and associated security measures, required under the terms of the 1988 U.S.-Japan Agreement for Peaceful Nuclear Cooperation, was well underway.
"I have requested a briefing to bring forward certain facts about this proposed shipment and security arrangements for the journey," Akaka said. "I am concerned that the procedures used to review the transportation plan and determine its compliance with the U.S.-Japan agreement are inadequate and unnecessarily secretive. No formal consultation with Congress has occurred. I am also concerned that the Departments of Defense and Energy have not been fully involved in this review process. Furthermore, I have learned that CINCPAC was not initially consulted. In fact, CINCPAC only recently became involved when alerted by non-governmental organizations. Valuable expertise and analysis are not being utilized."
In mid-January, the British government announced the first shipment of weapon-usable MOX fuel from the United Kingdom to Japan. Greenpeace, the Nuclear Control Institute and other environmental organizations raised objections to the transportation plan. Congressman Benjamin A. Gilman, chairman of the House Committee on International Relations, has written Secretary of State Madeline Albright to express concern with the transportation plan, security measures, and their compliance with the 1988 agreement.
Under the terms of the 1988 U.S.-Japan Agreement for Peaceful Nuclear Cooperation, the United States must approve the comprehensive transportation plan for transfers of plutonium from U.S.-supplied nuclear fuel provided by British and French reprocessing plants to Japan for use in Japanese power plants. The agreement requires the application of strict physical protection measures, including the use of an armed escort vessel or alternative security measures.
Japanese press reports indicate that the Japanese government proposes to use on-board armed security personnel on the two transport ships, which are owned by a British company, instead of an armed escort vessel. Japan would provide an escort once the ships reached Japanese waters.
"I am troubled by the review and consultation process being pursued by the State Department," Akaka observed. "We all share the responsibility to ensure that our national defense and international security interests, along with proper environmental considerations, are of paramount concern during this review. We in the Pacific have every right to expect that such shipments meet the strictest security and environmental standards."
