LETTER OF CONCERN

The Government of the Republic of Lithuania

The Government of Japan

Hitachi GE Nuclear Energy Ltd

Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC)

LETTER OF CONCERN

Vilnius, 23rd December, 2011

We, the undersigned members of the civil societies of Lithuania, Belarus, Russia and Japan strongly protest the preliminary agreement signed between the Government of Lithuania and the Japanese company Hitachi-GE Nuclear Energy Ltd. (alliance between Hitachi and US company GE Nuclear Energy Ltd.) on export of hazardous nuclear technologies to Lithuania.

We also oppose any backing of the project by any direct or hidden subsidies of Lithuanian Government, Government of Japan and the US Government which strongly contradict with principles of free market economy and fair competition in liberalised EU energy sector. Such subsidies distort investments into energy sector, first of all into renewable energy sources and incentives for the energy efficiency

We note that the choice of contractor and the decisions concerning the construction of a new nuclear power plant (NPP) in Visaginas, Lithuania were made without open public discussion, a practice falling short of the provisions of the UNECE Aarhus Convention.

Given the tragic consequencies of the Fukushima NPP disaster, we are particularly concerned that Hitachi-GE has launched its expansion into Lithuania and the Baltic region after losing its competitiveness in Japan and globally.

A large majority of Japanese society strongly opposes any further development of nuclear energy domestically. Meanwhile Taiwan, where efforts by Hitachi (and Toshiba) to construct the Lungmen Nuclear Power Plant are floundering, has decided to phase out nuclear power.

Therefore, we call on Japan to refrain from resorting to 'double standards' by giving support to Hitachi's intention to export unsafe technologies. We oppose dumping deadly technologies and their waste products in Lithuania, or anywhere else.

We demand to stop the implementation of the Visaginas NPP project and hereby request:

● to take fully into account the opinion of the citizens of Lithuania on further development of the nuclear energy in the country by calling a referendum or through other legal means;

● the Government of Japan and the US Government to refrain from providing support for this project including financing through the Japan Bank for International Cooperation, US Ex-Im Bank and other export credit facilities.

We strongly reject any attempts to decide the future of entire nations of this region for generations to come by making secret deals between irresponsible governments and nuclear corporations behind the backs of the people.

Signatures:

Lithuania:

Linas VAINIUS, on behalf of the Coalition of Lithuanian Environmental NGOs

Tomas TOMILINAS, on behalf of the Lithuanian Farmers and People's Party

Gintaras SALDŽIŪNAS, on behalf of the Lithuanian Green Movement Party

Japan:

Yuki TANABE, Program Coordinator, Japan Center for a Sustainable Environment and Society

(JACSES)

Eri WATANABE, Nuclear and Energy Program, Friends of the Earth Japan

Hideyuki BAN, Co-director, Citizens' Nuclear Information Center

Aileen Mioko Smith, Executive Director, Green Action

Contact in Lithuania:

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Contact in Japan:

Yuki Tanabe

Program Coordinator,

Japan Center for a Sustainable Environment and Society (JACSES)

401, Sanshin Bldg., 2-3-2 Iidabashi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 102-0072 Japan

Phone: +81-3-3556-7323 Fax: +81-3-3556-7328