Japan suspends its funding for TMT | Honolulu Star-Advertiser

COURTESY NATIONAL ASTRONOMICAL OBSERVATORY OF JAPAN
Japan is suspending its funding of the Thirty Meter Telescope because of construction delays. A rendering shows the TMT against a backdrop of other telescopes on Mauna Kea.

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COURTESY NATIONAL ASTRONOMICAL OBSERVATORY OF JAPAN

Japan is suspending its funding of the Thirty Meter Telescope because of construction delays. A rendering shows the TMT against a backdrop of other telescopes on Mauna Kea.

CINDY ELLEN RUSSELL / JAN. 5
Supporters of the Thirty Meter Telescope hold signs and flags outside of the Hawai‘i Convention Center. The group greeted participants attending the 235th meeting of the American Astronomical Society, which was held at the convention center in January.

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CINDY ELLEN RUSSELL / JAN. 5

Supporters of the Thirty Meter Telescope hold signs and flags outside of the Hawai‘i Convention Center. The group greeted participants attending the 235th meeting of the American Astronomical Society, which was held at the convention center in January.

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A leading opponent of the Thirty Meter Telescope on Wednesday welcomed a decision by the Japanese TMT partner to suspend funding for a year.

“I’m hoping the other partners will take Japan’s lead,” said Mauna Kea hui leader Kealoha Pisciotta. “Hopefully Japan is leading the charge in doing things in a better way, a pono way. That’s good news.”

Tomonori Usuda, TMT Japan project manager with the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan, confirmed the budget reduction “due to the stalemate of the construction in Hawaii.”

“We need to slow down the development activities in Japan for the fiscal year,” he said in a statement.

But he added that the Japanese government is still strongly committed to the billion dollar-plus TMT in Hawaii.

It’s not clear how much funding will be suspended from the project planned for near the summit of Hawaii’s tallest mountain. According to a Saturday online story from Japan’s public broadcaster, NHK, the production of more than 200 unfinished mirror segments could be interrupted.

The news represents the latest setback for the international consortium hoping to construct the powerful telescope, one of three large next-generation instruments planned to advance astronomy.

Last month TMT’s partner in India indicated it wanted the project moved to the backup site in the Canary Islands in Spain. China reportedly is also pushing TMT International Observatory to pursue construction at the Plan B site in Roque de los Muchachos Observatory on the highest mountain in La Palma.

In Hawaii the project has been stalled by legal and regulatory hurdles and protests over the last five years. The largely Native Hawaiian opponents, many of whom consider the mountain sacred, have blocked construction since July while occupying the base of Mauna Kea Access Road.

Meanwhile, a Canary Islands newspaper reported Wednesday that the telescope partners would be holding a meeting this week to discuss the action taken by Japan and other related topics.

But TMT spokesman Scott Ishikawa said no meeting is planned to be held in Spain this week or next.

Telescope opponents gathered at the Consulate-General of Japan in Honolulu Monday to deliver a letter asking the Japanese government to join them in opposition to the project.

“We’re calling upon the Japanese people to recognize the kanaka maoli (Native Hawaiians) as a people with a living culture, history, language and spiritual/religious practices, who have a sacred and revered mountain in Mauna Kea as they do in Mount Fuji,” said Kaho‘okahi Kanuha, one of the group’s leaders.

Copies of a letter in English and Japanese were presented to a representative of Consul General Koichi Ito outside the consulate.

Pisciotta, who has led regulatory and legal attacks on the TMT, said it’s still a good sign Japan has reduced its funding even if it continues to express support for the project in Hawaii.

“They’re still trying to be team players,” she said. “But there’s another part of the team. The kupunas (elders) are not leaving the road, and they’re cognizant of that fact.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.