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OO RUEHFK RUEHKSO RUEHNH
DE RUEHKO #6730 3310754
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 270754Z NOV 06
FM AMEMBASSY TOKYO
TO RHEHAAA/NSC WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 8650
RHMCSUU/DEPT OF ENERGY WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUEHFK/AMCONSUL FUKUOKA 8961
RUEHNH/AMCONSUL NAHA 1450
RUEHOK/AMCONSUL OSAKA KOBE 2379
RUEHKSO/AMCONSUL SAPPORO 9999

C O N F I D E N T I A L TOKYO 006730 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DOE/NA4: SAOKI, JGLASER, DOE/NA24: SCHIENMANN, MKRUPA, 
RHIBBS, DOS/ISN/WMDT: TLEHRMAN 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/27/2016 
TAGS: ENRG JA PARM PGOV PREL
SUBJECT: VISIT TO JAPAN,S KASHIWAZAKI-KARIWA NUCLEAR POWER 
STATION, DISCUSSION OF PHYSICAL PROTECTION 
 
 
Classified By: Joyce B. Rabens EST MC Reasons 1.4 B/D 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary.  On November 15, EmbOffs visited the 
Kashiwazaki-Kariwa Nuclear Power Station on the western coast 
of Japan, operated by TEPCO. Embassy staff were provided a 
tour of unit 6, one of two Advanced Boiling Water Reactors 
(ABWR) onsite. In addition to a general description of the 
facility operations, TEPCO reps provided an update on the 
physical protection systems onsite and changes in recent 
years to enhance the security infrastructure. End Summary. 
 
---------------------------- 
General Facility Information 
---------------------------- 
 
¶2. (SBU) Kashiwazaki-Kariwa Nuclear Power Station has 7 
Boiling Water Reactors (BWRs)--two of which are advanced BWRs 
(ABWRs)--with the total power generating capacity of 8,212 
MWe. This is the largest power station in the world. The 
station is located in the Niigata Prefecture on the coast of 
the Sea of Japan. Fresh fuel arrives onsite approximately 4-5 
times per year. Low-level waste is stored on-site for a 
period of a few years, and then shipped to Rokkasho for 
reprocessing. 
 
-------------------------- 
Physical Security Measures 
-------------------------- 
 
¶3. (C) TEPCO reps noted that INFCIRC/225/Rev. 4 required 
changes to their physical protection systems. As a result, 
the facility operators established two protection areas 
around units 1-4 and 5-7. They noted that there is only one 
entry gate onto the site, through which all pedestrian and 
vehicular traffic is checked. The operator has installed a 
police vehicle on-site 24/7 with armed guards (installed 
after 9/11).  Additionally, a police patrol (also armed) is 
conducted around the outer perimeter, which spans 4.2 sq km. 
On the coastal side, the Coast Guard is now stationed right 
at shore--a new development since October 2005, following the 
new physical protection amendments. Communications have been 
established between the police guards and the Coast Guard. 
Training exercises are conducted with the local police 
approximately twice per year. To date, no exercises have been 
held between the police and the Coast Guard, though they 
expect to begin such exercises in the near future. 
 
¶4. (C) TEPCO noted that the 2005 physical protection 
amendments (iaw INFCIRC/225/Rev. 4) required TEPCO to address 
increased physical protection measures, and while the Coast 
Guard repositioning is a new development, most of their 
physical protection systems were already in place.  They 
demonstrated their access control systems for personnel and 
vehicular traffic, including a double-fence perimeter, 
defined protection areas, motion sensors connected to cameras 
along the outer perimeter, identity checks and biometrics 
monitors. The site also has developed (or is developing) a 
design-basis threat (DBT), and is still considering other 
physical protection measures, including plans for 24/7 
security surveillance around the outer perimeter and along 
each of the protection areas. 
 
¶5. (SBU) Finally, the TEPCO reps stated that while they are 
not currently involved with Japan,s national emergency drill 
conducted annually by the Cabinet Office, they plan to 
conduct similar emergency drills at the local level with 
authorities and residents in the surrounding area. The 
frequency of such emergency drills remains to be decided. 
SCHIEFFER