Related News
Japanese trade minister resigns
Source: Agencies |
September 11, 2011, Sunday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
JAPAN'S trade minister resigned yesterday after just eight days in office and repeatedly apologized for calling the evacuated area around a stricken nuclear power plant "a town of death."
Yoshio Hachiro announced his departure at a news conference late last night and apologized multiple times. People affected by the March 11 disasters, political opponents and even members of the ruling Democrats had strongly criticized his remark.
He said he was just trying to convey the seriousness of the situation when he made the remark on Thursday on a visit to the Fukushima Dai-ichi plant.
His departure is a major embarrassment for Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda, who took office and installed a new Cabinet on September 2 amid hopes a new government could better tackle recovery efforts from the disasters.
After the tsunami struck the nuclear plant, three of its six reactors melted down, releasing massive amounts of radiation that have tainted the surrounding environment. About 80,000 people were forced to evacuate and may not be able to return for years because of radiation dangers.
While the earthquake and tsunami left about 21,000 people dead and missing along Japan's northeast coast, no deaths have been blamed on radiation.
Yoshio Hachiro announced his departure at a news conference late last night and apologized multiple times. People affected by the March 11 disasters, political opponents and even members of the ruling Democrats had strongly criticized his remark.
He said he was just trying to convey the seriousness of the situation when he made the remark on Thursday on a visit to the Fukushima Dai-ichi plant.
His departure is a major embarrassment for Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda, who took office and installed a new Cabinet on September 2 amid hopes a new government could better tackle recovery efforts from the disasters.
After the tsunami struck the nuclear plant, three of its six reactors melted down, releasing massive amounts of radiation that have tainted the surrounding environment. About 80,000 people were forced to evacuate and may not be able to return for years because of radiation dangers.
While the earthquake and tsunami left about 21,000 people dead and missing along Japan's northeast coast, no deaths have been blamed on radiation.
- 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.
