Japan Press Weekly

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2015 November 25 - December 1 [SOCIAL ISSUES]

Kagoshima Prefecture holds bogus public briefing for restart of Sendai NPP

On November 29, nearly three months after Kyushu Electric Power Company’s Sendai nuclear power plant resumed its operations, the Kagoshima Prefectural government finally held a public briefing session in Kagoshima City.

Although the briefing venue has a seating capacity of 2,000, only 162 people participated in the briefing. Some participants doubted if the prefecture made enough efforts to inform residents about the briefing.

In the explanatory meeting, those who provided explanations to the participants were an official of the Natural Resources and Energy Agency and Kyushu University professor Idemitsu Kazuya who allegedly received donations from nuclear reactor fuel manufacturers. They emphasized the necessity and safety of nuclear power generation.

Fujio Maya came to the meeting from Satsumasendai City which hosts the Sendai power station. She said, “The prefecture should have organized the meeting in my city, if it really wanted to obtain local consent. The prefecture needs to be more honest.”

Another participant, Miyata Akira who came from Kagoshima City said, “In opinion polls, many people were opposed to the reactivation of nuclear power plants. However, only pro-nuclear power generation people spoke in the briefing. It’s unacceptable.”

During the meeting, an anti-nukes civic group in Kagoshima staged a protest action outside the briefing venue.

A participant in the action said, “In the meeting which uses taxpayers’ money, different opinions should be allowed to be heard.”

Past related articles:
> Commercial operations start at Sendai NPP amid protests [September 11, 2015]
> Operation of problematic Sendai NPP should be stopped without delay [August 22, 2015]
> Municipalities near Sendai NPP demand public briefing sessions [July 26, 2015]