The mayor of Kaminoseki in Yamaguchi Prefecture, western Japan, says his town will allow Chugoku Electric Power Company to conduct a feasibility survey for building a facility to temporarily store spent nuclear fuel.

Earlier this month, the utility announced its plan to conduct a joint survey of its site in the town with Kansai Electric Power Company.

The town assembly held an extraordinary meeting on Friday morning to discuss the utility's proposal.

Mayor Nishi Tetsuo told the meeting that the town's population has dwindled and it has the highest rate of aging in the Chugoku region. He expressed concern that the town may soon be unable to provide essential services for its residents. Noting that his mission is to hand over a viable town to future generations, he said he is in favor of allowing the study. But he added that he hopes to listen to views from assembly members and make a comprehensive judgment.

All 10 assembly members expressed their views. Although no vote was held, only three of them definitely opposed the move.

Ahead of the meeting, opponents of the survey demonstrated in front of the town hall. A scuffle broke out between the protesters and police at one point.

A nuclear fuel reprocessing facility, a key component of the government's policy to recycle nuclear fuel, is being built in Aomori Prefecture, northern Japan, but the construction is far behind schedule.

Spent fuel rods have been filling up pools at nuclear power plants across Japan, and regional power companies are struggling to secure interim storage sites. Kansai Electric Power says over 80 percent of its fuel pools are full.

The government is trying to promote the construction of interim facilities by providing subsidies to hosting municipalities. If the survey leads to construction, Kaminoseki would become the second municipality in Japan to host this type of facility.