Article ID: O-24-013
The selection of final disposal sites of soils generated by decontamination after the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station accident is an urgent issue. In this study, we identified major factors related to acceptance of final disposal sites using decision tree analysis under three different questions: (1) approval of final disposal near one’s place of residence (base question), (2) acceptance of final disposal when residents’ opinions were reflected (procedural fairness question), and (3) acceptance of final disposal when sites were divided into 46 prefectures (distributive fairness question). Three thousand people aged 20 to 79 years living in 46 prefectures other than Fukushima Prefecture were randomly selected and surveyed from September to December 2022 by postal method. The analysis was conducted on 806 individuals who gave consent and had no missing survey items. The results revealed that regardless of questions, protected values were present in the first layer. In the second layer, dread risk perception, intergenerational expectations, and social benefit perception were extracted at the base question; social benefit perception and trust at the procedural fairness question; and inequity, interest, and social benefit perception at the distributive fairness question. Acceptance of final disposition is largely governed by protected values. Social benefit perception was extracted in the second layer in any questions, suggesting that discussion on social benefits is important in the selection of final disposal sites. Furthermore, enhancing trust is particularly important in selecting final disposal sites when residents’ opinions are reflected.
