In Genkai, Saga Prefecture, a significant step was taken as a special committee of the town assembly gathered on April 25 to deliberate a request regarding the town potentially hosting the final disposal site for nuclear waste. This decision, once validated by the full town assembly in a forthcoming meeting on April 26, will rest on the mayor's shoulders, as Mayor Shintaro Wakiyama will ultimately decide whether to move forward and ask the central government for consideration to proceed with the selection process.
Genkai, notably the first host of a nuclear power plant interested in becoming the final disposal site, is navigating through the initial stages of the selection process. The possibility of Genkai entering this critical phase is attributed to not only the endorsements from local business groups but also the advocacy of certain assembly members who argue that if a municipality hosts a nuclear plant, it should also house the disposal site for highly radioactive nuclear waste. This stance underscores the perceived responsibility that comes with being a nuclear power plant host.