The government is seeking to conduct an initial survey on Minamitorishima island¡ª Japan¡¯s easternmost island ¡ª as a possible nuclear waste disposal site and is asking the local government for cooperation, industry minister Ryosei Akazawa said Tuesday.

Minamitorishima is administered by Ogasawara village, which is part of Tokyo. The village consists of many other islands and its office is located on Chichijima Island, which is about 1,300 kilometers west-northwest of Minamitorishima.

Industry ministry officials met with Masaaki Shibuya, the mayor of Ogasawara village, on Tuesday and submitted a formal request to do the first-stage survey, which involves examining geological suitability through existing records and data.

¡°It would be difficult to proceed with the site selection process without local consent,¡± Akazawa told a news conference.

¡°The government intends to do its utmost to provide explanations to gain the understanding and cooperation of the people of the Ogasawara village.¡±

The ministry plans to hold briefing sessions for residents of the village on March 14 and March 15. Shibuya said he would decide whether to accept the survey based on the resident reactions.

Minamitorishima, a 1.51-square-kilometer triangular island, has facilities for the Maritime Self-Defense Force, the Japan Meteorological Agency and the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism.

The island is not open to the general public, and has no permanent population.

It was once the site of a long-range navigation tower.

Akazawa said Minamitorishima is identified as an area with favorable characteristics for a potential disposal site.

¡°There are areas of unused land where surface facilities could be constructed,¡± he said.

¡°In addition, the entire island is state-owned, and it has long contributed to various national policies.¡±

If the survey is initiated on Minamitorishima, it will be the fourth time such a survey has been conducted. They were previously conducted on the town of Suttsu and the village of Kamoenai in Hokkaido and on the town of Genkai in Saga Prefecture.