Japanese protesters demand nuclear plants be shut down
Source: Agencies |
June 12, 2011, Sunday
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Print Edition
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PROTESTERS held mass demonstrations against nuclear power across Japan yesterday, the three-month anniversary of the powerful earthquake and tsunami that killed more than 23,000 and triggered one of the world's worst nuclear disasters.
Streets in parts of Tokyo were completely jammed with thousands of chanting protesters, paralyzing sections of the city. Some marchers called for the country's nuclear plants to be shut down immediately and for stricter radiation tests by the government.
In the capital city protesters carried colorful banners and banged drums as they walked past the Economy Ministry and the head offices of Tokyo Electric Power Co, which operates the Fukushima plant. Entire families marched, their toddlers and even dogs displaying anti-nuclear slogans.
"I'm worried about the children. It's not just in Fukushima, there are radiation problems even here in Tokyo," said Mika Obuchi, 45, who marched with her husband and nine-year-old daughter.
Along the tsunami-ravaged coast yesterday, residents bowed their heads in a moment of silence at 2:46 pm, when the earthquake struck.
Embattled Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan visited Kamaishi, a hard-hit coastal city. Kan has been under fire for his handling of the disasters and the country's recovery plans, surviving a no-confidence vote earlier this month.
Speculation about when he will quit has been rampant, with his party and the main opposition hinting at a coalition to speed the recovery. But Kan's visit yesterday was seen by some as a suggestion he will attempt to prolong his tenure.
"It is not just a matter of listening to what people say at the destroyed areas. I want to incorporate what I hear into government measures," he said.
The disasters in Japan in March knocked out power and cooling systems at the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant, about 225 kilometers northeast of Tokyo, setting off explosions, fires and large radiation leaks at the facility.
At the Fukushima plant, hundreds of workers are still struggling to bring the crippled reactors to a "cold shutdown" by early next year and end the crisis. Radiation fears have forced more than 80,000 people to evacuate from their homes around the plant.
The disasters have renewed a national debate on nuclear power in Japan, which has few natural resources. "Since the earthquake, I've realized that nuclear power is just too dangerous for use," said Takeshi Terada, 32, a shipping worker who marched with 10 friends in Tokyo.
Streets in parts of Tokyo were completely jammed with thousands of chanting protesters, paralyzing sections of the city. Some marchers called for the country's nuclear plants to be shut down immediately and for stricter radiation tests by the government.
In the capital city protesters carried colorful banners and banged drums as they walked past the Economy Ministry and the head offices of Tokyo Electric Power Co, which operates the Fukushima plant. Entire families marched, their toddlers and even dogs displaying anti-nuclear slogans.
"I'm worried about the children. It's not just in Fukushima, there are radiation problems even here in Tokyo," said Mika Obuchi, 45, who marched with her husband and nine-year-old daughter.
Along the tsunami-ravaged coast yesterday, residents bowed their heads in a moment of silence at 2:46 pm, when the earthquake struck.
Embattled Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan visited Kamaishi, a hard-hit coastal city. Kan has been under fire for his handling of the disasters and the country's recovery plans, surviving a no-confidence vote earlier this month.
Speculation about when he will quit has been rampant, with his party and the main opposition hinting at a coalition to speed the recovery. But Kan's visit yesterday was seen by some as a suggestion he will attempt to prolong his tenure.
"It is not just a matter of listening to what people say at the destroyed areas. I want to incorporate what I hear into government measures," he said.
The disasters in Japan in March knocked out power and cooling systems at the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant, about 225 kilometers northeast of Tokyo, setting off explosions, fires and large radiation leaks at the facility.
At the Fukushima plant, hundreds of workers are still struggling to bring the crippled reactors to a "cold shutdown" by early next year and end the crisis. Radiation fears have forced more than 80,000 people to evacuate from their homes around the plant.
The disasters have renewed a national debate on nuclear power in Japan, which has few natural resources. "Since the earthquake, I've realized that nuclear power is just too dangerous for use," said Takeshi Terada, 32, a shipping worker who marched with 10 friends in Tokyo.
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