Fukushima residents say'get out of nuclear power'
Source: Agencies |
August 2, 2012, Thursday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
GET out of nuclear power and do it fast, angry Fukushima residents told Japanese government officials at a public hearing yesterday held in an area ravaged by nuclear disaster.
The Fukushima hearing, the ninth of 11 planned nationwide, was seeking views on nuclear power's role in the nation's energy mix as the government struggles to cover a power shortfall that could threaten economic growth.
Meltdowns at Tokyo Electric Power Co's Fukushima nuclear plant after an earthquake and tsunami on March 11 last year caused radiation to spew over large areas of Fukushima, forcing more than 160,0000 people to flee. In the following months, all Japan's nuclear plants were shut for safety checks. Two reactors resumed operations last month.
"I want all the reactors in Japan shut immediately and scrapped," a woman, who said she was a farmer living 65 kilometers from the Fukushima plant, told the hearing.
Goshi Hosono, minister in charge of the response to the nuclear crisis, was heckled as he apologised for the suffering of people in Fukushima.
Japan met about a third of its energy needs with nuclear power before the disaster.
Now, three options the government has put on the table are to phase out nuclear power completely, aim for a 15 percent share of the power supply by 2030, or a 20-25 percent share by the same date.
Residents of Fukushima overwhelmingly backed the first option.
Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda's decision to restart two reactors in Japan's western manufacturing hub galvanized the anti-nuclear movement.
More than 100,000 people attended an anti-nuclear rally last month and protests staged weekly outside of Noda's residence have grown.
"I'm scared. I'm really scared," a middle-aged woman told yesterday's hearing.
"I'd like the government to think about why people have gathered in front of the prime minister's residence every Friday since April. That's not fashion. That's not a temporary fever. That's a heartfelt scream from the public."
Also yesterday, Fukushima prosecutors launched an investigation after more than 1,000 residents filed criminal complaints against 15 former and present Tokyo Electric Power officials, including former company president Masataka Shimizu, and 18 government officials, including Nuclear Safety Commission head Haruki Madarame.
The Fukushima hearing, the ninth of 11 planned nationwide, was seeking views on nuclear power's role in the nation's energy mix as the government struggles to cover a power shortfall that could threaten economic growth.
Meltdowns at Tokyo Electric Power Co's Fukushima nuclear plant after an earthquake and tsunami on March 11 last year caused radiation to spew over large areas of Fukushima, forcing more than 160,0000 people to flee. In the following months, all Japan's nuclear plants were shut for safety checks. Two reactors resumed operations last month.
"I want all the reactors in Japan shut immediately and scrapped," a woman, who said she was a farmer living 65 kilometers from the Fukushima plant, told the hearing.
Goshi Hosono, minister in charge of the response to the nuclear crisis, was heckled as he apologised for the suffering of people in Fukushima.
Japan met about a third of its energy needs with nuclear power before the disaster.
Now, three options the government has put on the table are to phase out nuclear power completely, aim for a 15 percent share of the power supply by 2030, or a 20-25 percent share by the same date.
Residents of Fukushima overwhelmingly backed the first option.
Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda's decision to restart two reactors in Japan's western manufacturing hub galvanized the anti-nuclear movement.
More than 100,000 people attended an anti-nuclear rally last month and protests staged weekly outside of Noda's residence have grown.
"I'm scared. I'm really scared," a middle-aged woman told yesterday's hearing.
"I'd like the government to think about why people have gathered in front of the prime minister's residence every Friday since April. That's not fashion. That's not a temporary fever. That's a heartfelt scream from the public."
Also yesterday, Fukushima prosecutors launched an investigation after more than 1,000 residents filed criminal complaints against 15 former and present Tokyo Electric Power officials, including former company president Masataka Shimizu, and 18 government officials, including Nuclear Safety Commission head Haruki Madarame.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
