Japan cities face growing radioactive ash, troubles ahead –400 tones of radioactive ash have piled up at one incineration plant 17 Oct 2011 In the Japanese city of Ohtawara, more than 100 km (62 miles) southwest of the crippled Fukushima nuclear plant, 400 tones of radioactive ash have piled up at a garbage incineration plant, which will run out of protected storage space in two weeks. Further south, the city of Kashiwa has been forced to temporarily shut a high-tech incinerator because its advanced technology that minimizes the amount of ash produced has the side-effect of boosting the concentration of radiation. Fresh bags of radioactive ash will have to be left in empty outdoor space at the incineration facility with no proper shelter around them, an Ohtawara city official said.