社説：原発テスト 「結論ありき」と疑う

(Mainichi Japan) January 20, 2012
Editorial: Gov't nuclear power plant tests mired in doubt
社説：原発テスト　「結論ありき」と疑う

How will the lessons learned from the disaster at the Fukushima No. 1 Nuclear Power Plant be put into practice in the future?
　東京電力福島第１原発の重大事故の教訓を今後にどういかそうとしているのか。

The government's present response is questionable.
このところの政府のやり方には疑問が多い。

The Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency, which operates under the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, has deemed Kansai Electric Power Co.'s stress tests of the No. 3 and No. 4 reactors at its Oi nuclear power plant as "appropriate."
　経済産業省の原子力安全・保安院は関西電力が提出した大飯原発３、４号機の安全評価（ストレステスト）を「妥当」と評価した。

This marks the first step in evaluating reactors that are being inspected with a view to restarting them.
再稼働の前提として定期検査中の原発を対象に行われる第１次評価である。

The reactors are to undergo further inspection by the Nuclear Safety Commission and the International Atomic Energy Agency.
　この先、原子力安全委員会の確認や国際原子力機関（ＩＡＥＡ）の評価を受ける。

After that, the prime minister and three Cabinet ministers will make a political decision on whether or not to restart them.
さらに、首相と関係３閣僚が再稼働の是非を政治判断するが、

However, debate has arisen over whether Cabinet officials should be making decisions on the technical safety of reactors.
まず技術的な安全性を閣僚が判断することの是非に議論がある。

Furthermore, when looking at the results of the stress tests, it seems the technical safety appraisal was a foregone conclusion.
加えて、今回の評価結果を見る限り、技術的な安全評価も「結論ありき」に思える。

Kansai Electric's stress tests conclude that the reactor cores would not be damaged even if there were an earthquake that shook 1.8 times stronger than what was envisaged when the reactors were built, or if the reactors were hit by an 11.4-meter tsunami -- four times higher than what was initially predicted.
　保安院が妥当とした関電の評価によると、設計上の想定より１．８倍大きい地震の揺れや４倍大きい１１.４メートルの津波に襲われても炉心損傷には至らない。

The power company says that even if there were a station blackout and no place for heat to escape, the reactor cores would not be damaged for 16 days and the spent nuclear fuel would remain intact for 10 days.
全交流電源が喪失し熱の逃がし場がなくなった場合でも炉心は１６日間、使用済み核燃料は１０日間、損傷までに余裕があるという。

However, the scenarios forming the basis for power plant's conclusions preceded the Great East Japan Earthquake and tsunami.
　しかし、評価の前提となっている設計上の想定は東日本大震災以前のものだ。

The March 2011 disasters have shaken conceptions about the maximum shaking and the biggest possible tsunami in the event of another major quake.
震災で最大の揺れや津波の想定そのものが揺らいでいる。
耐震指針や安全設計審査指針の見直しも行われている。

There is no guarantee that the plant's previous predictions are on target.
もとの想定が信頼できるという保証はどこにもない。

The more relaxed the scenarios are, the more leeway the power plant seems to have.
　想定が甘ければ甘いほど大きな余裕があるように見える矛盾も内包している。

When considering this, the phrases "1.8 times stronger" and "four times higher" have no meaning.
それを思えば、１．８倍や４倍という数値に意味はない。

The probe into the nuclear disaster at the Fukushima No. 1 Nuclear Power Plant has not even been completed. そもそも、事故そのものの検証もまだ終わっていない。

Officials should at least provide a set of risk evaluation guidelines based on the cause of the Fukushima disaster that the public can understand.
少なくとも事故の原因を踏まえ、国民が納得するリスク評価の指針を示すべきではないか。

In terms of determining the risks of nuclear power plants, doubts also remain over legislation on the life of power plants.
　原発のリスク評価という点では寿命の法規制についても疑問がある。

On Jan. 6, Goshi Hosono, state minister in charge of the nuclear disaster, stated that nuclear reactors would in principle be decommissioned after they had been running for over 40 years.
「運転４０年を超えたら原則として廃炉」との方針を細野豪志原発事故担当相が発表したのが今月６日。

But less than two weeks later the government stated that exceptions would allow reactors to operate for 60 years.
それから２週間もたたないうちに、政府は「例外として６０年運転が可能」とする方針を公表した。

Just where is the government placing its priorities?
　いったい、どちらに重きを置いているのか。

Does it really intend to reduce the number of high-risk nuclear power plants?
本気でリスクの高い原発を減らしていくつもりがあるのか。

The way the government is handling the situation invites mistrust over its nuclear power plant policy.
原発政策への不信感を招くやり方だ。

In terms of winning the public's trust, the Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency's decision to shut the public out of a hearing on the Oi nuclear power plant's stress tests is also problematic.
　国民の信頼を得るという点では、大飯原発のストレステストの意見聴取会で市民を会場から閉め出した保安院のやり方にも問題があった。

In principle, debate should be open, and then if there are any major obstacles to proceedings, separate measures can be taken to settle them.
基本的には議論の場そのものを公開し、議事に大きな障害が出るような言動があった場合に個別に対応すればすむ話だ。

Furthermore, citizens groups have raised questions about a possible conflict of interests among committee members and these must be addressed as a top priority.
市民団体が疑問視する委員の利益相反についても、きちんと説明するのが先決だ。

Local bodies will have the final decision on whether or not to restart nuclear power plants, but if officials can't gain the public's trust, then it is inconceivable to restart the reactors.
　原発の再稼働を最終的に判断するのは地元自治体だ。市民の信頼がなければ再稼働もありえない。

毎日新聞　2012年1月20日　2時31分