Recently, former diplomats and experts both in Japan and abroad stressed the extremely risky condition of the Fukishima Daiichi Unit 4 spent nuclear fuel pool and this is being widely reported by world media. Robert Alvarez, Senior Scholar at the Institute for Policy Studies (IPS), who is one of the best-known experts on spent nuclear fuel, stated that in Unit 4 there is spent nuclear fuel which contains Cesium-137 (Cs-137) that is equivalent to 10 times the amount that was released at the time of the Chernobyl nuclear accident. Thus, if an earthquake or other event were to cause this pool to drain, this could result in a catastrophic radiological fire involving nearly 10 times the amount of Cs-137 released by the Chernobyl accident.

US Senator Roy Wyden, after his visit to the Fukishima Daiichi nuclear power plant on April 6, 2012, issued a press release on April 16 pointing out the catastrophic risk of Fukishima Daiichi Unit 4, calling for urgent US government intervention. Senator Wyden also sent a letter to Ichiro Fujisaki, Japan's Ambassador to the United States, requesting Japan to accept international assistance to tackle the crisis.

We are appealing to the United Nations to help Japan and the planet in order to prevent the irreversible consequences of a catastrophe that could affect generations to come. We herewith make our urgent request to you as follows:

1. The United Nations should organize a Nuclear Security Summit to take up the crucial problem of the Fukishima Daiichi Unit 4 spent nuclear fuel pool.

2. The Untied nations should establish an independent assessment team on Fukishima Daiichi Unit 4 and coordinate international assistance in order to stabilize the unit's spent nuclear fuel and prevent radiological consquences with potential catastrophic consequences.