On December 3, Akira Akazawa, Japan's Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry, announced plans to approach Ogasawara Village in Tokyo to request a literature survey related to the selection of a final disposal site for high-level radioactive waste generated from nuclear power plants. This literature survey is a crucial first step in the site selection process, and if initiated, it would mark the fourth instance of such investigations in Japan after similar procedures in Suttsu Town, Komane Village, and Genkai Town in Saga Prefecture.

Minister Akazawa stated that the selection of Minami-Torishima (South Torishima) was due to the region being identified in a scientific characteristic map as having relatively favorable geological properties for geological disposal. Additionally, he pointed out that the entire island is owned by the national government, which simplifies the process. Later in the day, officials from the Agency for Natural Resources and Energy plan to meet with the village's mayor, Masakazu Shibuya, to discuss the details of the request.

The need for a final disposal site for nuclear waste has been a contentious issue in Japan, particularly following the Fukushima disaster in 2011. As the government proceeds with its plans, the community's response and environmental concerns will be significant factors that could influence the future of nuclear waste management in the country. This development marks another step in Japan's ongoing challenge to responsibly handle its nuclear waste problem.