March 31, 2011
Amid the ongoing crisis at the Fukushima nuclear power plant, the Kansai Electric Power Co. (KEPCO) still promotes the “safety myth” of nuclear energy. This was revealed by Japanese Communist Party representative Yamashita Yoshiki at a House of Councilors general committee meeting on March 30.
KEPCO is running 11 nuclear reactors in Fukui Prefecture on the Japan Sea coast.
In its newsletter published after the March 11 massive earthquake that struck northeastern Japan, KEPCO insists, “There is no plate boundary in the Japan Sea that could trigger a massive tsunami. Therefore, the possibility of a major tsunami hitting Wakasa Bay (located in the northwestern part of Fukui) is quite low.”
Yamashita pointed out that every time an accident occurred at a nuclear power plant, electric companies argued that it was beyond their control. He urged the government to strictly instruct KEPCO regarding proper preparedness.
Internal Affairs Minister Katayama Yoshihiro answered, “Electric firms should prepare for every possibile contingency and determine the proper measures to take.”
“Now is the time to break away from the ‘safety myth’ and create a nuclear power administration that puts its highest priority on safety,” Yamashita stressed.
KEPCO is running 11 nuclear reactors in Fukui Prefecture on the Japan Sea coast.
In its newsletter published after the March 11 massive earthquake that struck northeastern Japan, KEPCO insists, “There is no plate boundary in the Japan Sea that could trigger a massive tsunami. Therefore, the possibility of a major tsunami hitting Wakasa Bay (located in the northwestern part of Fukui) is quite low.”
Yamashita pointed out that every time an accident occurred at a nuclear power plant, electric companies argued that it was beyond their control. He urged the government to strictly instruct KEPCO regarding proper preparedness.
Internal Affairs Minister Katayama Yoshihiro answered, “Electric firms should prepare for every possibile contingency and determine the proper measures to take.”
“Now is the time to break away from the ‘safety myth’ and create a nuclear power administration that puts its highest priority on safety,” Yamashita stressed.
