Japan Press Weekly

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2011 June 29 - July 5 [NUCLEAR CRISIS]

Shii criticizes gov’t for pressing Saga for Genkai NPP resumption

Japanese Communist Party Chair Shii Kazuo on June 30 criticized Minister of Economy, Trade, and Industry Kaieda Ban’ri for pressing Saga Governor Furukawa Yasushi on the previous day to approve the resumption of reactors that are under suspension due to regular maintenance inspections at the Genkai Nuclear Power Plant.

Shii at a press conference pointed out that the government, still incapable of handling the Fukushima crisis, is proclaiming the safety of nuclear power plants and promoting the restart of other off-line reactors across the country starting with the Kyushu Electric Power Company’s Genkai NPP.

The Saga governor in reply to the METI minister’s request said, “I will decide based on the outcome of the prefectural assembly’s discussions.” Shii said, “We have one seat in the assembly. Together with this assembly member, we will call for a thorough discussion of the issue so as to prevent the plant resumption.”

On the growing public call for an end to nuclear power generation, Shii stated that the party is ready to cooperate with as many people as possible, irrespective of political affiliation, for a major movement to break away from nuclear energy.

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Democratic Party of Japan Secretary General Okada Katsuya on June 30 at another press conference acknowledged that the governor said, “I will decide based on the outcome of the prefectural assembly’s discussions,” but he himself claimed that nuclear power plants are safe. Okada assessed this as “a step forward.”