Japan Press Weekly

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2012 July 4 - 10 [NUCLEAR CRISIS]

Breaking away from nuclear power serves purpose of Diet panel report

A report on the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster released on July 5 by a Diet-appointed expert panel has apparently criticized Japan’s power companies and the Noda Cabinet for enforcing the restart of the Oi nuclear power plant in Fukui Prefecture without learning any lessons from the accident.

The report condemns the government’s declaration that the accident, which it declares was a “man-made” disaster was “settled”. It says, the accident has been causing damage over a wide area.

It blames government regulators and plant operator Tokyo Electric Power Company for taking no measures against accidents although the utility was aware of the possibility of an earthquake and tsunami hitting the plant. It states, “There is no excuse for the accident.” Calling the accident “an obviously man-made disaster”, it condemns the “safety myth” of nuclear power plants, which has been propagated by successive governments and the power generation industry.

It also states that it is needed to drastically reexamine the legislation on nuclear power, including what nuclear regulatory authorities should be responsible for.

The present state of the Fukushima plant is still unknown due to high levels of radioactivity. The report mentions the need to continue with investigations into the “accident”. It also makes some useful proposals to cope with possible health affects on residents.

Considering how serious the damage was caused by the “accident” and the possible adverse affects on future generations living in Japan, breaking away from nuclear power should be the only way to answer the aims of the report.