Japan Press Weekly

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2012 June 13 - 19 TOP3 [NUCLEAR CRISIS]

JCP Shii protests against restart of Oi nuclear reactors

Japanese Communist Party Chair Shii Kazuo on June 16 expressed strong opposition to Prime Minister Noda Yoshihiko’s announcement to restart offline reactors at the Oi nuclear power plant in Fukui Prefecture.

The government on the same day confirmed the reactivation of Nos. 3 and 4 reactors at the Oi plant and ordered the Kansai Electric Power Co. to start reactivation procedures.

At a press conference, Shii said, “The latest government decision should not be accepted if we intent to defend citizens’ lives and safety following the Fukushima nuclear disaster.

“The cause of the accident has yet to be revealed, and even the government’s tentative ‘safety measures’ are not fully implemented. On top of that, the government will wait until next fiscal year to start research on the possibility of earthquakes and tsunamis in the Sea of Japan.

“Arguing that a nuclear accident can be prevented even in a case of a quake and tsunami of the intensity that hit Fukushima, the prime minister threatens the public by claiming the projected lack of electricity without concrete grounds and tries to forcibly restart the idled reactors. This is truly the reimposition of the ‘safety myth’ of nuclear power generation in the worst form. His final decision shows his irresponsible behavior in regard to citizens’ lives and safety.

“Damages caused by the Fukushima accident continue to pose serious impacts on Fukushima residents and the whole of Japanese society. The government fails to fulfill its responsibility to ensure radiation decontamination and damage compensation, protect children’s health, and present ways to reconstruct devastated areas. It is totally unacceptable for the government to reactivate nuclear reactors and maintain dependence on nuclear power generation.

“Voices of opposition to the restart of nuclear reactors has been raised in front of the prime minister’s office and throughout Japan by a wider than ever range of people, who are seriously concerned about Japan’s future course. The JCP joins forces with them and will make utmost effort to block nuclear power plant reactivation and create a Japan without nuclear power plants.”