October 10, 2012
Local people have called into question the restarting of the construction of a new nuclear power plant.
J-POWER resumed the construction work of the Oma NPP on October 1 in Oma Town, Aomori Prefecture, following the central government decision to permit the construction. That is the first restart of construction of an NPP since the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear accident last year.
A man, 76, who was working on the beach to dry sea tangles, said, “I oppose the construction. If the power plant is built near here, the seawater will turn into mud.”
Most of the local fishermen are engaged in collecting seaweed, which grow around 100 meters offshore. If the hot waste water flowed into the sea from the plant, it would cause immeasurable damage to fishery.
A guest-house owner in the town said, “Some argue that the power plant will provide employment for local people. However, local builders are grumbling that they can hardly make a profit as subcontractors. I wonder if the plant construction really promotes regional development.”
Oma Town has accepted the plant-related subsidies from the national government since the locational survey began in 1983, which amounts to about 11.7 billion yen.
Sato Ryoichi, 76, leader of a citizens’ group against the NPP, said, “There are few people that openly object to the construction. However, many local residents oppose the plant in their hearts. Local government role is not to administer the town affairs using the nuclear power-related money but to devote itself to the development of industry characteristic of the region.”
J-POWER resumed the construction work of the Oma NPP on October 1 in Oma Town, Aomori Prefecture, following the central government decision to permit the construction. That is the first restart of construction of an NPP since the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear accident last year.
A man, 76, who was working on the beach to dry sea tangles, said, “I oppose the construction. If the power plant is built near here, the seawater will turn into mud.”
Most of the local fishermen are engaged in collecting seaweed, which grow around 100 meters offshore. If the hot waste water flowed into the sea from the plant, it would cause immeasurable damage to fishery.
A guest-house owner in the town said, “Some argue that the power plant will provide employment for local people. However, local builders are grumbling that they can hardly make a profit as subcontractors. I wonder if the plant construction really promotes regional development.”
Oma Town has accepted the plant-related subsidies from the national government since the locational survey began in 1983, which amounts to about 11.7 billion yen.
Sato Ryoichi, 76, leader of a citizens’ group against the NPP, said, “There are few people that openly object to the construction. However, many local residents oppose the plant in their hearts. Local government role is not to administer the town affairs using the nuclear power-related money but to devote itself to the development of industry characteristic of the region.”
