Japan Press Weekly

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2016 April 13 - 19 TOP3 [JCP]

JCP demands suspension of Sendai NPP in quake-hit Kyushu

The Japanese Communist Party Dietmembers’ taskforce working to lend assistance in the aftermath of major earthquakes hitting the Kyushu region made a representation to the central government on April 16, demanding that the Sendai nuclear power plant be shut down immediately in case of any unexpected events related to the earthquakes occurring.

JCP Secretariat Head Koike Akira, the head of the taskforce, visited the Prime Minister’s Office and directly requested Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Seko Hiroshige to immediately halt operations at the Sendai NPP on the grounds that evacuation of nearby residents would be seriously obstructed if an accident occurred at the plant because Kyushu Shinkansen “bullet” trains and expressways have been affected by the earthquakes.

The damage caused by the powerful quakes mainly in Kumamoto and Oita prefectures is widely expanding, causing many casualties. Strong aftershocks still continue and many people are evacuating to shelters. How and in what direction epicenters will move is unpredicted. Despite such circumstances, the plant keeps its operations running, stirring up anxieties among local residents.

Koike said that the central government should bring together the wisdom of experts to discuss whether or not to have nuclear reactors at the plant stay online in order to properly respond to the concerns of the people.

He also demanded that the government in collaboration with the affected municipalities take the initiative in rescue and relief activities and concentrate on preventing secondary disasters from occurring and damages from spreading.

He promised that the JCP will do everything in its power in rescue and relief work and provide needed information to all concerned.