Japan Press Weekly

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2012 August 22 - 28 [NUCLEAR CRISIS]

Japan’s scientists hold symposium on need to break with nuclear power

The Japan Scientists’ Association (JSA) on August 25 and 26 held a national symposium on the need to break away from nuclear power.

The symposium took place in Tsuruga City, Fukui Prefecture, which hosts many nuclear power plants, with about 400 citizens attending.

Professor Emeritus of Fukui University Yamamoto Fujio in his keynote speech criticized the “safety myth” of nuclear energy and the “community of interest” profiting from nuclear power. He said that the JSA has to work harder with the general public to shut down the reactivated nuclear reactors at the Oi plant and decommission all nuclear power plants in the nation.

Former Professor of Chuo University Tateno Jun emphasized that the actual condition of the crippled Fukushima Daiichi plant is far from “under control”. He pointed out the dangers of piling up highly-contaminated water used to cool the decay heat.

Professor of Fukushima University Shimizu Shuji gave a special lecture, condemning the so-called “introduced development” in which local governments invite a nuclear power plant for regional development. Shimizu stressed that the decommissioning work of nuclear reactors, unlike the suspension of their operations, will create many jobs. “The government must establish a national policy towards breaking away from nuclear power,” he said.

Motoshima Isao, a former researcher at the Central Research Institute of Electric Power Industry, quoted the detailed data on the electric power supply and demand of the 9 utilities operating nuclear power plants in the country. He said, “If the operating rate of thermal power stations is increased up to 70% of capacity, all electricity demands can be covered.”