Japan Press Weekly

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2013 April 10 - 16 [NUCLEAR CRISIS]

Activists resolve to fight back against gov’t move to remove ‘anti-nuke tent’

A citizens’ group that has been holding a sit-in protest in tents against nuclear power generation in the main government district in Tokyo on April 10 expressed their determination to fight back against the government’s legal action to remove their tents.

The Economy Ministry on March 29 sued the two representatives of the group for refusing to remove the “anti-nuke tents” which have been put up in front of the ministry’s building.

The tent site was set up by anti-nuclear protesters on September 11, 2011,exactly six months after the Fukushima Daiich nuclear accident. Since then, it has been a place for people concerned with nuclear issues and Fukushima evacuees to meet and exchange views.

In a news conference held in front of the tent site, Fuchigami Taro, one of the representatives, pointed out that the very existence of the tent has provided emotional support to people around the country who call for a Japan without nuclear power. He showed his resolve to win the court battle by stating, “If the government removes our tent site claiming that it is an illegal occupation, it will arouse people’s anger.”

A 68-year-old female evacuee who lived 1.2 kilometers from the Fukushima Daiichi Plant in a choking voice said, “People here cheered me up when I was so depressed that I could do nothing but cry and wish I could go home and meet my friends. I think I couldn’t have recovered from my depression without them. This site is for me my second home. Please help us to defend our tents.”