nuclear-news

Half of Japan’s ruling Party against restarting nuclear reactors

Mayday for Japan’s nuclear industry BY: RICK WALLACE, TOKYO CORRESPONDENT  The Australian April 21, 2012 “…….Teruyuki Mtasushita, head of a local group in the Oi area that is organising rallies to prevent the restart, said he was stunned the government was pushing ahead with new safety measures. “Anyone who stops and thinks about it finds it an absurd and impossible idea,” he said at a press conference in Tokyo.

“What locals are worried about is an earthquake. There are three faults on the east side of the Oi plant and those have not been evaluated, even though the Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency was told to investigate.”

While the government is pushing all out for the Oi restart, Democratic Party of Japan insiders say it has deeply divided the ruling party. Mr Matsushita’s press conference was attended by five DPJ MPs opposed to the restart.

DPJ MP Kuniko Tanioka said the restart was “unforgivable” and showed that the government was unduly influenced by the nuclear industry. “Before we can talk about breaking with nuclear power generation, we need to break up the nuclear village in the parliament,” she said.

Another DPJ MP, Ben Hashimoto, said opposition within the party was growing. “I would say as many as half of us are against the idea of restart,” he said.
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/world/mayday-for-japans-nuclear-industry/story-e6frg6so-1226334685674

April 21, 2012 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | Japan, politics