Citizens organizations request a halt to nuclear power plant for checkups

Representatives of the National Liaison Center of Nuclear Power Plant Questions, and residents organizations of Fukushima and Niigata Prefectures on September 4 requested that the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry suspend operation of nuclear power plants suspected of possible accidents so that they can receive checkups.

Nakamura Toshio, on behalf of the National Liaison Center, called on the government to drastically change its nuclear energy policy, saying that the recent cover-up by Tokyo Electric Power Co. of cracks in a reactor's core structure is the worst situation in the history of Japan's nuclear power generation. He said that the government must reveal why two years passed before the flaw was reported.

During the representation, it became clear that past cracks in the pipes for driving control rods were not reported to the ministry, although a Japanese Communist Party Dietmembers' study team learned about it on August 29.

The petitioners said that local people are now of the opinion that all nuclear power plants should stop operation, as they no longer trust a government which has allowed nuclear power plants to continue operation, well aware that some accidents and flaws were covered up. (end)