Japan Press Weekly

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2007 July 18 - 24 [NUCLEAR CRISIS]

JCP calls on Fukui Prefecture to thoroughly review nuclear power plant anti-quake standards

In Fukui Prefecture, where nuclear power plants are most heavily concentrated in Japan, the Japanese Communist Party on July 19 called on the prefectural government to immediately conduct a thorough review of the guidelines for anti-quake standards of nuclear power plants and submit a request to the central government to review the national guidelines.

Representatives of the JCP Fukui Prefectural Committee and JCP House of Councilors election candidate Inoue Satoshi made this urgent request because the earthquake hitting Niigata Prefecture on July 16 shook the Kashiwazaki Kariwa Nuclear Power Plant in Niigata far more severely than had been anticipated at the time of its design, discrediting the assertion of the central government and power companies that nuclear power plants are safe.

Pointing out that the recent earthquake was caused by a formerly unknown active fault as was the case of an earthquake that hit Ishikawa Prefecture in March, Inoue pointed out that research into active faults in the seabed at the time of design were apparently inappropriate.

Inoue called on the prefectural government to request the central government and power companies to carefully review assumptions about supposed quake-resistant designs.

Yamada Kazuo, the JCP House of Councilors election candidate in the Fukui prefectural constituency, urged the prefectural government to immediately stop building more reactors at the Tsuruga Nuclear Power Plant, its pluthermal operations, and the resuming of operations of the fast breeder reactor, Monju.
- Akahata, July 20, 2007