In Genkai Town, Saga Prefecture, three local organizations submitted a petition to the prefectural assembly demanding acceptance of the first stage of the "literature survey" for the selection of a final disposal site for high-level radioactive waste, also known as "nuclear waste," generated from nuclear power plants. The petition was adopted, sparking controversy over the acceptance of the literature survey.

Nuclear waste emits strong radiation for tens of thousands of years, and it is legally required to be disposed of by burying it at a depth of at least 300 meters underground. The investigation to select a disposal site is conducted in three stages: literature survey, preliminary survey, and detailed survey.

On the 1st, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry visited Genkai Town and officially requested the town's mayor, Shintaro Wakiyama, to conduct a literature survey. Currently, only two local municipalities, Kamienai Village and Shukotsu Town in Hokkaido, are conducting literature surveys. The ministry appears to be seeking a new location to accept the literature survey and has requested cooperation from Genkai Town.

Mayor Wakiyama stated, "We take the assembly's adoption of the petition seriously, and we will consider and respond accordingly." He intends to decide whether to accept the literature survey by mid-May.

However, protests are continuing around the Genkai Town Hall. Residents of nearby Karatsu City and Itoshima City in Fukuoka Prefecture have staged protests, chanting, "Don't push dangerous nuclear waste into rural areas." One resident criticized, "It's unimaginable to bring all the nuclear waste from across the country to a municipality with a nuclear power plant and bury it underground. They haven't listened to the residents' opinions at all."

The literature survey is conducted when a local municipality voluntarily applies or accepts the government's request. In 2007, Toyo Town in Kochi Prefecture became the first municipality in the country to apply, but due to conflicts among residents, the mayor was eventually replaced, and the application was withdrawn. After the Fukushima nuclear accident in 2011, there were almost no public discussion opportunities until the government introduced the request-based method in 2015.

On the 7th, Mayor Wakiyama met with Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Yasutoshi Saito in Tokyo and stated, "The final disposal site is a crucial issue, so I want to deepen my understanding." He expressed his intention to continue discussions.

The Japanese government is requesting that other regions also show interest, arguing that the nuclear waste issue is a national task, not just a matter for a specific region. Genkai Town is home to a nuclear power plant operated by Kyushu Electric Power, and the conduct of the disposal site investigation in a municipality with a nuclear power plant would be a first in the country.