Japan Press Weekly

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2014 June 25 - July 1 [NUCLEAR CRISIS]

5,500 people raise voices against gov’t plan to restart Sendai NPP

As the Abe administration is stepping up moves to restart Kyushu Electric Power Company’s Sendai Nuclear Power Plant in Kagoshima Prefecture, about 5,500 citizens joined a demonstration in Tokyo, demanding a total departure from nuclear power generation.

This is the fourth “No Nukes Day” action, called for by three major civic organizations such as the Metropolitan Coalition Against Nukes (MCAN).

At a rally held at Meiji Park in the rain, MCAN leader Misao Redwolf said to participants, “Anti-nuclear power movements that have increased across Japan led to the recent Fukui District Court decision ordering a utility to shut down its Oi NPP. With the help of the ruling, let’s further intensify our campaigns and push the government to abandon its plan.”

Following the gathering, protesters marched to the sound of drums through the Harajuku district which was crowded with young people.

Yoshizaki Yusaku, a 26-year-old man from Kagoshima City, said, “I want to spread the movement opposing the reactivation plan together with a wide range of people, including the residents of Fukushima.”

Yamamoto Masanori, 40, from Fukushima City, said, “I feel angry at Prime Minister Abe Shinzo for pushing to have operations at the Sendai nuclear plant resume. Almost all the residents of Fukushima are seeking a zero nuclear power society.”

A 32-year-old female worker living in Saitama City stated, “I’ve come to think about the future especially since I gave birth to my daughter. I’ll continue to take actions to eliminate all nuclear reactors in Japan.”

Japanese Communist Party lawmakers Kasai Akira and Kira Yoshiko also took part in the actions that day.

Past related article:
> Kagoshima’s nuclear accident evacuation plan ignores the hospitalized and people in care facilities [May 30, 2014]