Sadakazu Tanigaki, director general of the Science and Technology Agency, said March 9 that he is ready to meet with Aomori Gov. Morio Kimura over matters related to high-level nuclear waste to be returned from France and unloaded in his prefecture.

Kimura had expressed hopes of meeting with Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto to make a set of requests, mainly regarding nuclear safety, prior to a scheduled arrival of a ship from France in Mutsuogawara Port March 10.

The cargo, high-level nuclear waste reprocessed in France, is to be transferred to the village of Rokkasho for storage.

On March 9, Chief Cabinet Secretary Kanezo Muraoka said it is not appropriate for Kimura to request a meeting with Hashimoto to discuss the matter.

"The Aomori governor should meet with ministers in charge of the matter such as the chief of the Science and Technology Agency and the head of the Ministry of International Trade and Industry," Muraoka told a regular press conference.

Kimura had said that his prefecture would not accept the French ship unless he met with Hashimoto.

Muraoka said the government hopes the ship will enter Mutsuogawara port as scheduled.

The Cabinet confirmed in December that the nuclear fuel cycle should be promoted on condition that safety is secured.