Japan Press Weekly

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2016 April 6 - 12 [SOCIAL ISSUES]

Court dismisses appeal to shut down Sendai N-reactors

A high court on April 6 ruled in favor of continued operations at the Nos.1 and 2 reactors at the Sendai nuclear power plant in Satsumasendai City in Kagoshima by rejecting the appeal filed by local residents seeking the shutdown of the two reactors.

The court ruled that the NPP adheres to socially-accepted common ideas concerning safety, stating that the conventional common ideas do not require NPPs to be infallible.

The decision defined the new safety standards as sufficiently reasonable. Regarding the locally drafted evacuation plan about which local residents are concerned, the decision admitted that the plan is a little unrealistic but found no major problem with it.

The 12-member plaintiff, their lawyers, and supporters protested against this unfair ruling.

A man living within a 30km zone from the Sendai NPP said, “We find the evacuation measures will be totally inadequate if a nuclear crisis occurs. We really want the plant to stop its operations.”

Another man said, “I wanted the judge to consider the health and safety of our children who will lead our country in the future. I will never give up the struggle to get the plant shut down.”

Past related articles:
> Evacuation plan for residents near Sendai NPP is unrealistic: traffic expert [November 5, 2014]
> Kagoshima district court refuses to block restarting Sendai nuclear power plant [April 23, 2015]
> Residents file request for temporary injunction against restart of Sendai NPP [May 31 & June 2, 2014]
> Kagoshima’s nuclear accident evacuation plan ignores the hospitalized and people in care facilities [May 30, 2014]