Nuclear - Japan
Decision to restart reactors shows Japanese government has not learnt Fukushima lessons
Commenting on the decision by Japanese prime minister Yoshihiko Noda to restart two nuclear reactors at the Oi power plant in Fukui prefecture, Greens/EFA co-president Rebecca Harms said:
"Today's decision shows the Japanese government has failed to learn the lessons from Fukushima. The decision is against the will of the majority of Japanese people, breaks a promise made by the prime minister Noda and shows a disregard for safety concerns.
"The protests in Japan underline the continuing public opposition to persisting with this high risk technology. This is hardly surprising with the accident site in Fukushima still not under control, the consequences of the disaster still not fully assessed, and the promised nuclear safety agency still in the planning phase. On top of this, there has been no improvement in the safety measures at the Oi nuclear plant and no guarantee that the reactors can be safely shut down in the event of an earthquake.
"The last months have shown that Japan can function without nuclear power, while the country could be shifted to a nuclear-free energy system in a short amount of time. The majority of Japanese people want a nuclear-free future because they do not want to accept the risks implied by nuclear power in their earthquake-prone country. The government should respect this will, a point made in a letter sent to prime minister Noda."
