Nuclear Waste Splits a Town

Overview

The 2021 mayoral election in Suttsu town, northern Japan, hinged mainly on 1 contentious point between the 2 candidates - whether to continue with the first step in being selected as a long-term storage site for nuclear waste. The incumbent mayor, Kataoka Haruo, who is actively promoting the process, won the race. The result showed that locals' interest in getting government subsidies that will revitalize the local economy outweighs their concerns about safety. But Kataoka's victory was narrower than expected, and the town remains divided.