March 8, 2021

With the 10th year anniversary of the Fukushima nuclear disaster approaching, the Metropolitan Coalition Against Nukes (MCAN) held a rally in solidarity with Fukushima near the Diet building on March 7, calling for a Japan without nuclear power. Concerned citizens and opposition party lawmakers, holding placards which read "Stop restarting nuclear power plants! Break with nuclear power!" took part in the rally.

This was the last rally before MCAN takes a break from its activities. MCAN organizer Misao Redwolf said, "We will take a break but won't dissolve ourselves. Until the day Japan becomes nuclear free, we will continue raising our voices together with you."

Japanese Communist Party Chair Shii Kazuo, JCP member of the Lower House Kasai Akira, JCP member of the Upper House Kira Yoshiko, former Prime Minister Kan Naoto of the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, two other CDPJ Dietmembers, Head of the Social Democratic Party Fukushima Mizuho, and a representative of the Reiwa Shinsengumi party stood in line together on the stage and received a call from the audience, "Opposition parties, unite!"

JCP Chair Shii in his speech said, "The MCAN created a new style of civic movement in which each of us as individuals voluntarily takes part so that people can go and assemble around the Diet building or Prime Minister's Office on their own to raise their voice of opposition to various government policies." He pointed out that this movement had led to another movement opposing the war laws and helped to create the unity in joint struggles by opposition parties together with concerned citizens. He added, "In this sense, the mother of the present unity among opposition parties is the MCAN movement."

Shii promised that the JCP will continue opposing the termination of compensation payments and support to nuclear disaster victims, demanding that these measures be extended. He expressed his determination to work hard to enact a bill proposed jointly by opposition parties for a Japan free of nuclear power.

Shii said, "The fastest way to achieve a Japan without nuclear power generation is voting in a change in government." As he called on the audience to work together to establish a new government which will move toward establishing a nuclear-free Japan, he received a loud round of applause.

Writer Ochiai Keiko said, "The MCAN has helped to create the stage for ordinary citizens to speak out, regardless of their age or gender identity." Sociologist Oguma Eiji said, "This antinuke movement has significantly changed public opinion regarding nuclear power generation."

Past related article:
> Antinuke citizens protest against NRA giving OK to operation of spent nuclear fuel reprocessing plant [July 30 and August 1, 2020]