October 30, 2024
The Tohoku Electric Power Company (Tohoku-epco) on October 29 resumed operations of the No.2 reactor at its Onagawa nuclear power plant (Onagawa Town in Miyagi Prefecture), making it the first reactor damaged by the March 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake to restart operations.
Local residents and the plaintiffs seeking court injunction against the reactivation of the plant staged a protest in front of the plant gate, demanding that the utility suspend the restart. The protesters read out their written demand at the gate as the company refused to receive it.
Called for a protest via social media, concerned citizens converged near the company’s head office in Sendai City, and JCP Miyagi Prefectural Assemblyperson Ouchi Mari participated in this protest.
The Onagawa NPP is located in the middle of the Oshika Peninsula which juts out into the Japan Trench. Even after the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake, strong earthquakes have occurred in the surrounding area.
The Onagawa No.1 reactor will be decommissioned, and the No.3 reactor has been under suspension. In regard to the No. 2 reactor, a lawsuit is pending in which nearby residents demand an injunction against its operation, claiming that the local government’s emergency evacuation plan is not feasible.
Leader of the lawsuit Hara Nobuo said, “While in litigation, the Tohoku-epco went ahead with the restart of the reactor. I don’t trust the company’s role as power provider.”
Hara added, “In the event of an emergency, evacuees are supposed to go to inspection stations to check for radioactive contamination and decontaminate if necessary before entering safe shelters. However, it is expected that inspectors may be delayed in reaching the peninsula due to anticipated traffic jams. In addition, alternatives such as buses have not yet been secured to evacuate all residents who have no access to transportation. In the end, exposure of residents to radiation will be unavoidable.”
Local residents and the plaintiffs seeking court injunction against the reactivation of the plant staged a protest in front of the plant gate, demanding that the utility suspend the restart. The protesters read out their written demand at the gate as the company refused to receive it.
Called for a protest via social media, concerned citizens converged near the company’s head office in Sendai City, and JCP Miyagi Prefectural Assemblyperson Ouchi Mari participated in this protest.
The Onagawa NPP is located in the middle of the Oshika Peninsula which juts out into the Japan Trench. Even after the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake, strong earthquakes have occurred in the surrounding area.
The Onagawa No.1 reactor will be decommissioned, and the No.3 reactor has been under suspension. In regard to the No. 2 reactor, a lawsuit is pending in which nearby residents demand an injunction against its operation, claiming that the local government’s emergency evacuation plan is not feasible.
Leader of the lawsuit Hara Nobuo said, “While in litigation, the Tohoku-epco went ahead with the restart of the reactor. I don’t trust the company’s role as power provider.”
Hara added, “In the event of an emergency, evacuees are supposed to go to inspection stations to check for radioactive contamination and decontaminate if necessary before entering safe shelters. However, it is expected that inspectors may be delayed in reaching the peninsula due to anticipated traffic jams. In addition, alternatives such as buses have not yet been secured to evacuate all residents who have no access to transportation. In the end, exposure of residents to radiation will be unavoidable.”
