Japan Press Weekly

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2014 February 26 - March 4 [NUCLEAR CRISIS]

Another 351 people join court battle to shut down Genkai NPP

Another 351 people on February 27 joined a lawsuit against the state and the plant operator (Kyushu Electric Power Company), seeking the shutdown of the Genkai nuclear power plant (Genkai Town, Saga Pref.).

In addition to the plaintiffs who earlier joined this court battle, the number of plaintiffs in the battle has reached 7,488, the largest plaintiffs group in a lawsuit filed in Japan calling for the closure of nuclear power plants.

The 351 plaintiffs include 213 citizens in Saga’s neighboring prefecture of Fukuoka.

At a rally held after the filing, Higashijima Hiroyuki stressed, on behalf of the plaintiffs’ lawyers group, “The national government proclaims a policy of promoting exports of nuclear power plants and totally opposes aiming for a ‘zero-nuclear’ society in its draft energy policy. However, people’s opposition to these government moves is growing.”

Representing the plaintiffs group, former Saga University president Hasegawa Akira expressed his determination to increase the movement for withdrawal from nuclear power generation by saying, “The use of nuclear energy is also a matter of concern for the global community.”

Past related articles:
> Kyushu residents file suit against NPP [May 31, 2012]
> 1,704 file suit seeking shutdown of Genkai nuclear plant [January 31 & February 1, 2012]