Economy ministry officials visited Kushima in Miyazaki Prefecture on Friday to explain the literature survey that forms the first stage of choosing a final disposal site for high-level radioactive waste from nuclear power generation, NHK reported.
The briefing went to the city's mayor and covered the outline of the survey, according to the report. The source gives no further detail on what was said, how long a survey might take, or whether Kushima has responded.
High-level radioactive waste — the highly radioactive liquid left after spent fuel is reprocessed, later solidified for long-term storage — has no permanent home in Japan. Site selection depends on a municipality agreeing to each stage, which is why a ministry visit to a single city carries weight.
A literature survey is a desk review of existing geological and historical records rather than fieldwork. It is the lightest of the three selection stages, and a town's consent to it does not commit it to hosting a repository.
The report did not say what stage the process is at nationally, or how many other municipalities have been approached.