Japan Press Weekly

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2014 August 27 - September 2 TOP3 [POLITICS]

7,000 people hold rally to oppose restart of Sendai NPP

In protest against a plan to restart the Sendai Nuclear Power Plant (Satsumasendai City, Kagoshima Prefecture), around 7,000 people on August 30 held a rally in front of the Diet building.

Misao Redwolf of the Metropolitan Coalition Against Nukes on behalf of the organizing committee said, “People’s struggles across the country are blocking the restart of the Sendai NPP. Let our voices against NPPs be clearly heard by Prime Minister Abe and advocates of nuclear power.”

Japanese Communist Party Chair Shii Kazuo, along with Lower House member Kasai Akira and Upper House member Kira Yoshiko, took part in the rally and made speeches in solidarity.

Shii pointed out that Japan managed to survive this summer without a blackout or a reactor being operated. He also said that local courts made rulings that criticize the move to resume the operation of NPPs. The JCP chair called on participants to reject the new and revised nuclear safety myth and work to prevent the power plant from being restarted.

A 46-year-old man from Saitama Prefecture said, “I was born in Satsumasendai City. If a severe accident occurs at the Sendai NPP, it will destroy my hometown. I cannot tolerate even the thought of that, so I decided to raise my voice in protest.”

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On the following day, in Satsumasendai City, an anti-nuke group held a rally to protest against the plan to restart the NPP with 1,800 people participating.

Torihara Ryoko, one of the organizing committee members, said to the audience that a local group’s survey result showed that 85% of the respondents said the NPP should stay shut down. “Let’s call on people to raise their voices in unity to protect our lives,” Torihara said.

After the rally, holding placards and banners reading “No reactors” and “Make our region free from nuclear power”, participants marched in demonstration.