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Tokyo protesters say”NO” to restart of nuclear reactors

protestor-JapanAnti-nuclear protesters say “no” to possible reactor restart, Channel News Asia By Japan Bureau Chief Michiyo Ishida 17 July 14 Protesters have gathered in central Tokyo to demonstrate against a decision by Japan’s nuclear watchdog to push ahead with plans to consider restarting a nuclear plant, which it now considers safe. TOKYO: Protesters have gathered in central Tokyo to demonstrate against a decision by Japan’s nuclear watchdog to push ahead with plans to consider restarting a nuclear plant, which it now considers safe.

Shinzo Abe’s government has been pushing to bring reactors back online, after introducing tougher regulations on the industry last year. However, it faces determined opposition from concerned residents.

Protesters in Tokyo surrounded the building where the Nuclear Regulation Authority has its office, calling for the NRA to drop the plan to give the green light for the Sendai nuclear plant in Kyushu to consider the restart of its nuclear reactors.

Kyushu — Japan’s third largest island — has suffered heavily from power shortages. But steps still need to be taken for Sendai to officially restart.

The most difficult hurdle — to gain the approval of residents. Those opposed to the restart question the vulnerability of the plant’s location as it is surrounded by active volcanoes.

One of the protesters said: “We don’t think any of them should be restarted. It’s not about debating what figures indicate their safety.”……..This type of protest however, is not expected to be a one-off event, with 19 nuclear plants having applied to the NRA for a possible restart. http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/asiapacific/anti-nuclear-protesters/1267526.html

July 17, 2014 Posted by | Japan, opposition to nuclear | Leave a comment

Arrests of peace activists blocking nuclear convoy in Scotland

radiation-truckPeace Activists Detained For Blocking Nuclear Convoy, Morning Star  Saturday 12 July 14, TH FOUR peace activists were arrested yesterday after blockading a military convoy transporting nuclear weapons through Scottish streets under the cover of darkness. The four were picked up after briefly halting nuclear warhead-laden lorries near Loch Lomond in the early hours of yesterday morning.

Monitoring group NukeWatch said they believed the four converted lorries — part of a convoy of more than 20 military vehicles — were carrying around half a dozen warheads.

The convoy snaked up the M74 through south Glasgow en route to Coulport — part of a Ministry of Defence project to overhaul its nuclear arsenal.

Scottish CND co-ordinator John Ainslie said it was hard for people in Glasgow to imagine the peril they had endured while they slept. …..

an internal report from a 2011 dry run released last June described “major difficulties,” with emergency services at the scene in Glasgow stranded without help from the ministry’s weapons experts for more than five hours.

An MoD spokesman declined to comment on the movement of material “for national security reasons.” http://www.morningstaronline.co.uk/a-271d-Peace-activists-detained-for-blocking-nuclear-convoy#.U8HV5ZRdUnk

July 12, 2014 Posted by | opposition to nuclear, UK | Leave a comment

32 years of the peaceniks’ camp and civil disobediance against nuclear weapons

flag-ScotlandTHESE HIPPIES ARE CAMPING IN THE FOREST TO RID SCOTLAND OF ITS NUKES VICE By Alex Rodin Jul 8 2014 On the banks of Gare Loch, on the west coast of Scotland, a bunch of anti-nuke hippie peaceniks are taking on the might of the British armed forces and its nuclear submarines by living in camper vans. Faslane Peace Camp has occupied the roadside verge preceding HM Naval Base Clyde, home to the UK’s Trident nuclear missile submarines, for 32 years—more than three decades of sleeping in the forest in an effort to rid the UK of nukes.

poster-cut-Trident

This year’s independence referendum, which would make Scotland its own country, raises the possibility that the Scots could actually get rid of the nukes on their soil. Meanwhile in London, the government is striking a deal tying the UK’s nuclear future closer to the US. I decided it was a good time to pay the camp a visit. ……

Last March, two Peace Campers, Heather Stewart and Jamie Watson, broke into the naval base and climbed onboard a nuclear powered Astute submarine. They stood on the deck ringing its bell as a gaggle of surprised police officers came running.

“How the hell did you get in here?” one of the officers asked as they were being arrested. It seemed a logical question, given the razor wire, the security cameras, the motion-activated alarms that run along the perimeter fence, and the patrols that circle the base……

having been arrested and after 33 hours in custody, the pair emerged to discover that nobody else cared. The media wasn’t much interested in publicizing their exploits and, except for some backslapping within the peace movement, the world moved on without noticing………

The activists are holding out for Scottish independence. September’s referendum is returning Trident to the limelight as the Yes Scotland campaign dangles promises of a nuclear-free country. But in London, government ministers have other plans. They’ve been quietly meeting with their American counterparts to renegotiate a treaty that would wrap up Britain’s nuclear future with the United States. The 1958 UK-US Mutual Defense Agreement (MDA) has long facilitated cooperation between the US and the UK on nuclear technology. However, according to the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI), “collaboration between the two countries under the MDA has evolved to the extent that the boundary between the design and construction of UK and US warheads has blurred.”

RUSI paper published in March explained that many of the “components within the UK’s current warhead are supplied by the US under the MDA, and the UK presently lacks the capability to develop domestic alternatives.” As such, “The future of the UK’s nuclear arsenal is therefore inextricably linked to that of the US.” The revised MDA is likely to be signed any day now…….http://www.vice.com/read/faslane-scotland-peace-camp-independence-619

July 9, 2014 Posted by | opposition to nuclear, UK | Leave a comment

Growng chorus of area residents for the closure of Pilgrim Nuclear power Plant

Islanders Join Chorus Against Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station Vineyard Gazette Olivia Hall, 26 June 14 A movement to close the Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station is gaining ground on Martha’s Vineyard, where some Islanders have begun to voice concerns about their safety in the event of an emergency. The Island, like much of the commonwealth, stands in the shadow of the state’s only nuclear plant. – A public forum is planned for Monday at 7 p.m. at the Katharine Cornell Theatre in Vineyard Haven; the event is titled Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station: Could Fukushima Happen Here? Pilgrim provides 15 per cent of the electricity for southeastern Massachusetts, according to a 2014 report by ISO New England, the region’s electric grid operator. This past spring, Island voters expressed overwhelming support for the decommissioning of the plant at their annual town meetings and at the ballot box. Nonbinding resolutions urging Gov. Deval Patrick to press for closure of the Plymouth plant were supported by most towns. In addition, the Martha’s Vineyard Commission and the Dukes County Commission signed letters to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission asking for the decommissioning of Pilgrim. “Public safety, particularly that of Cape and Islands residents, cannot be assured,” the resolutions read in part. –

Last year, all 15 Cape towns passed similar resolutions, asking for the decommissioning of the power plant. In the event of an emergency at Pilgrim, releases from the plant could potentially involve the inhalation and ingestion of radioactive material. State and federal legislators have also expressed concerns about the plant’s safety, and have asked the NRC to monitor the plant closely. The primary concern for the Cape and Islands has been the lack of an evacuation plan in the event of a nuclear emergency. While the state has a plan in place to evacuate those living within a 10-mile radius of the plant, the Cape and Islands are not included in that region. –
“Basically, we on the Cape and Islands would be sheltering in place and then slowly relocated, which makes us sitting ducks for ingesting any radioactive plume that should be released,” said Ann Rosenkranz of West Tisbury………
Despite voices calling for decommissioning, the Pilgrim Plant was granted a license renewal in 2012 for 20 more years. This year, the NRC determined that the plant required more scrutiny as a result of unplanned shutdowns that took place last year. Organizers of the Monday forum say they hope it will continue a dialogue on the Island about the safety and environmental risks involved with the Pilgrim plant. – See more at: http://mvgazette.com/news/2014/06/26/islanders-join-chorus-against-pilgrim-nuclear-power-station?k=vg53acdc3930608&r=1#sthash.yF08kclK.dpuf

June 30, 2014 Posted by | opposition to nuclear, USA | Leave a comment

Passionate calls from shareholders to shut down Fukushima nuclear power station

flag-japanJapan’s TEPCO shareholders demand shutdown http://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/2014/06/26/japans-tepco-shareholders-demand-shutdown
 Shareholders in the company that owns Japan’s Fukushima nuclear power station have protested at its annual meeting, demanding its permanent closure. Furious shareholders of the company that runs Japan’s crippled Fukushima nuclear power station have joined campaigners to demand the permanent closure of the utility’s atomic plants as it held its annual meeting.

Dozens of demonstrators with loud speakers and banners said on Thursday Tokyo Electric Power Co (TEPCO), which wants to restart some of the reactors at the world’s largest nuclear plant, amongst others, must act to not repeat the 2011 Fukushima Daiichi disaster.

There was pushing and shoving between security guards and demonstrators as they tried to approach shareholders going into the gathering.  Activists from conservation group Greenpeace wore full protective suits and industrial face masks to remind shareholders what families who lived near Fukushima – where three reactors went into meltdown after an earthquake-sparked tsunami – must wear to check on their homes.

Katsutaka Idogawa, former mayor of Futaba town, which hosts the plant, lashed out at supporters of nuclear power, including TEPCO’s management, urging them to put their own ancestral land at risk.

“Why don’t you get exposed to radiation yourself? Why don’t you lose your homeland?” he asked as shareholders filed into Tokyo International Forum for the company’s annual meeting.

His town remains evacuated because of elevated levels of radiation, amid expectations that it will be decades before it is safe to return, if ever.

Idogawa, who bought TEPCO shares last year, said the firm has been slow to offer compensation to those who lost homes, jobs, farms and their communities, and that which has been offered has been inadequate. “You don’t pay enough compensation and don’t take responsibility (for the accident). I can’t forgive you!” he said. The sentiment was echoed during the meeting by fellow shareholders whose communities host other nuclear plants.

A woman from Niigata prefecture, where TEPCO hopes to start a major power station, also expressed her desire for the utility to end nuclear energy. “Are we going to make the same mistake that we had in Fukushima, also in Niigata?” she said. “Fellow shareholders, please support this proposal of scrapping the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear plant… and revitalising the site with plans for renewable energy,” she said.

Japan’s entire stable of 48 working reactors is offline, shuttered for safety checks in the months after the 2011 disaster.

The government and electricity companies, like TEPCO, would like to fire them up again, but public unease has so far prevented that, as has a new, toothier watchdog.

TEPCO has argued that restarting selected reactors at Kashiwazaki-Kariwa, the world’s largest nuclear power plant, is the key to ensuring the company’s survival as it battles huge costs.

The calls for an end to nuclear power were expected to be rejected by TEPCO, which is majority-owned by a government-backed fund designed to rescue it.

The government has poured billions of dollars into TEPCO to keep afloat a company that supplies electricity to Tokyo and its surrounding area, as it stumps up cash for decommissioning the reactors, cleaning up the mess they have made and paying compensation.

June 28, 2014 Posted by | Japan, opposition to nuclear | 1 Comment

Strong protest movement opposes restart of Kagoshima reactors, Japan

protestor-JapanAnti-nuclear activists ratchet up pressure to block restart of Kagoshima reactors June 14, 2014 Asahi Shimbun By MASANOBU HIGASHIYAMA/ Staff Writer KAGOSHIMAMore than 1,000 protesters assembled before the prefectural government building here June 13 to oppose moves to restart a local nuclear power plant.

If the Sendai nuclear plant in Satsumasendai, Kagoshima Prefecture, were to go back online, it would mark the nation’s first restart under new safety standards brought in after the March 2011 nuclear disaster in Fukushima Prefecture.

The rally, which organizers deemed a “critical phase” in their anti-nuclear efforts, coincided with the start of the prefectural assembly session.

“Governor, why don’t you pick a fight with the central government like the Hakodate mayor has done to protect the life and health of residents?” Satoshi Kamata, a noted nonfiction writer who has written extensively about labor and environmental pollution issues, barked through a loudspeaker.

Kamata, 76, was referring to a lawsuit filed in April by the Hakodate municipal government in Hokkaido to demand a halt to the construction of a nuclear power plant across the Tsugaru Strait in Oma, Aomori Prefecture.

“After serious problems of pollution in the 1970s, Japanese learned that their lives are more important than the nation’s economy. Why are we regressing to the same situation in the question of nuclear power?” asked Kamata, who flew in from Tokyo, where he regularly participates in a weekly anti-nuclear protest held outside the prime minister’s office.

Among the other participants were evacuees from the disaster at the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant. The rally was organized by about 90 groups, including a local co-op.

The protesters submitted to prefectural officials a petition signed by about 120,000 people from across Japan in protest to the restart of the plant, which is operated by Kyushu Electric Power Co…….http://ajw.asahi.com/article/0311disaster/fukushima/AJ201406140025

June 16, 2014 Posted by | Japan, opposition to nuclear | Leave a comment

Opposition to nuclear power is strengthening in South Korea

logo-NO-nuclear-Smflag-S-KoreaS. Korea faces strong opposition to nuclear power  SEJONG, June 15 (Yonhap) — The South Korean government is facing a renewed opposition against nuclear power plants sparked by the recent tragic sinking a passenger ferry while the need for what is considered the cheapest source of power is growing, government officials said Sunday.

The opposition against nuclear power plants gained a new momentum on raised public awareness for safety following the April 16 sinking of the passenger ferry, Sewol, in which 292 people have been confirmed dead with 12 still unaccounted for.

Those who have long opposed nuclear power are again pointing their fingers at nuclear power plants as the most hazardous facilities, which, they claim, could cause a far greater and more devastating tragedy than the ferry sinking should there be any accident, according to the government officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

Such a sentiment was also seen in recent remarks by Rep. Park Young-sun, floor leader of the main opposition New Politics Alliance for Democracy, who said, “Nuclear power plants are now said to be the largest threat to safety in our society after the sinking of the Sewol.”

Already, environmental groups are demanding the government decommission a nuclear reactor at Wolseong Nuclear Power Plant, which is currently undergoing review for a possible extension of its lifespan. The initial 30-year lifespan of the reactor located some 400 kilometers southeast of Seoul expired in November 2012……

June 16, 2014 Posted by | opposition to nuclear, South Korea | Leave a comment

Wave of public resistance to uranium mining in Slovakia

Slovakia tightens regulation on uranium mining, Global Post,  BRATISLAVA, June 3 (Xinhua) — As of June 15, uranium mining in Slovakia will be possible only if the inhabitants of the affected municipalities allow it in a referendum, according to an amendment to the Geological Act approved by Parliament on Tuesday…….Wave of resistance against uranium mining in Jahodna has emerged in Slovakia in last two years, with more than 100,000 people signing a petition to that effect. According to the new legislation, any company interested in mining will have to ask the six affected municipalities to hold a referendum…..http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/xinhua-news-agency/140603/slovakia-tightens-regulation-uranium-mining

June 4, 2014 Posted by | EUROPE, opposition to nuclear, Uranium | Leave a comment

USA Memorial Day protest against unsafe Pilgrim Nuclear Power Plant

protest-nuclearFlag-USAGroup protests Pilgrim nuclear plant safety plan  http://www.myfoxboston.com/story/25610835/group-protests-pilgrim-nuclear-plant-safety-plan#ixzz32xg16R3C May 26, 2014 SAGAMORE, Mass. (MyFoxBoston.com) — Protesters gathered near the Sagamore Bridge Monday to highlight safety concerns about the Pilgrim nuclear power plant.

The protesters say the current emergency plan is unacceptable because it doesn’t include a viable evacuation route in the event of an accident. 

The protest comes just two months after Gov. Deval Patrick wrote to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. He said the Plymouth plant should be decommissioned if it can’t follow safety regulations.

Pilgrim has been relicensed through 2032 and its operators say it is safe.

May 27, 2014 Posted by | opposition to nuclear, USA | Leave a comment

IN Japan, huge public opposition to nuclear power is ignored by the Abe government

Abe NUCLEAR FASCISMAbe administration ignored massive public opposition to nuclear power Asahi Shimbun,  By ATSUSHI KOMORI/ Senior Staff Writer, 25 May 14,  More than 90 percent of respondents during a public comment period on the Abe administration’s basic energy policy were opposed to nuclear power generation, according to an Asahi Shimbun estimate released on May 25.

The Asahi Shimbun made the determination by tallying how many flag-japanof 2,109 of about 19,000 comments sent to the government from December to January were in opposition.

Failing to take into account that overwhelming public sentiment, the Cabinet approved in April the basic energy policy, which described nuclear power generation as an “important base load electricity source.” The base load electricity source means that nuclear power will continue to be relied on to meet a percentage of the electricity demand, regardless of the season or time of day.

The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry released on Dec. 6, 2013, the draft of the basic energy policy, the first compiled by the Abe administration since the accident at the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant triggered by the March 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and tsunami.

After releasing the draft, the Abe administration gathered public comments for a month until Jan. 6 through e-mails, faxes and other means. In all, about 19,000 responses were sent to the government.

The industry ministry disclosed representative comments in February. However, it did not tally how many replies it received were for or against nuclear power generation………..

As for the 2,109 e-mails, The Asahi Shimbun counted how many were for or against nuclear power generation. It found that 2,008 of them, or 95.2 percent, opposed nuclear power generation. Only 33, or 1.6 percent, supported nuclear power. The remaining 68 e-mails, or 3.2 percent, were “other replies.”

As for the reasons why they opposed nuclear power generation, many of the 2,008 respondents said that the nuclear accident in Fukushima Prefecture has yet to be resolved or that there are no disposal sites for spent nuclear fuels. Some of the comments also criticized the draft plan, which regarded nuclear power as an important electricity source, for going against public opinion……… http://ajw.asahi.com/article/behind_news/politics/AJ201405250023

May 26, 2014 Posted by | Japan, opposition to nuclear | Leave a comment

Anti-nuclear protestors plan rally against Pilgrim nuclear power plant i

protest-nuclearFlag-USAPilgrim nuclear plant protesters to gather at Sagamore Bridge http://www.gazettenet.com/businessmoney/12117764-95/pilgrim-nuclear-plant-protesters-to-gather-at-sagamore-bridge Sunday, May 25, 2014 BOURNE — Protesters are planning to gather near the Sagamore Bridge on Memorial Day to highlight concerns about the safety of the Pilgrim nuclear power plant in Plymouth.

The protesters called the current emergency plan in the event of an accident at the power plant unacceptable for those on the Cape.

The protest comes two months after Gov. Deval Patrick wrote the Nuclear Regulatory Commission expressing concerns about the plant. Patrick said he was writing on behalf of 15 southeastern Massachusetts communities.

Patrick said he shares their concerns because of what he called the lack of a “viable evacuation route” off of Cape Cod.

The NRC relicensed Pilgrim through 2032. The plant’s operators say it’s safe and secure.Patrick said the NRC should require the plant be decommissioned if it can’t comply with safety regulations.

May 26, 2014 Posted by | opposition to nuclear, USA | 1 Comment

The nuclear industry is not winning hearts and minds in China

flag-ChinaPeople power holds key to China’s nuclear plans FT.com, By Lucy Hornby at Daya Bay, 26 May 14, China’s nuclear industry has in recent years ventured overseas for new opportunities but it is now facing challenges at home gaining public acceptance of its $150bn expansion plans.

Fears of a nuclear power backlash, stoked by recent demonstrations against other large industrial projects, have rattled regulators as well as nuclear operators China National Nuclear Corp (CNNC) and China General Nuclear Power Corp (CGN).

………Last year, China’s only nuclear-related protest to date resulted in the abrupt cancellation of a $6bn uranium processing plant the two groups had proposed for Guangdong province.

Regulators fear images of riot police crushing protests at a reactor site – like this month’s violent clashes over a planned garbage incinerator – could quickly harden attitudes against nuclear power.

“If the government just keeps the same attitude of secrecy as in the past, it will create more problems. They need to pursue nuclear power appropriately and safely otherwise there will be more conflicts between the government and people,” says Cao Heping, who studies green economy at Peking University.

The concerns have even moved Chinese regulators to request help from the UK in the hope its government can offer tips on developing public and media support for nuclear power.

………….In April, premier Li Keqiang urged development of coastal nuclear power plants “when appropriate”. Beijing subsequently gave the green light to three more projects.

Industry executives say Mr Li’s “when appropriate” caveat followed internal discussions about the need to tread carefully, to avoid arousing any anti-nuclear sentiment.

Meanwhile, the meltdown at Fukushima in Japan strengthened Chinese regulators’ hand but also raised worries about public acceptability.

After the Fukushima meltdown, regulators shelved almost half of the 100 or so planned reactor projects due to design or site concerns, including those in earthquake zones or on inland rivers with limited water supply.

That review plus signs of slippage in construction means China could struggle to have all of the new reactors operational in the next six years.

,,,,,,,,Earlier this year, senior energy official Zhang Guobao lambasted CNNC for two-year delays on the Fuqing reactors in Fujian province, which were supposed to showcase CNNC’s indigenous reactor design……….

 China’s protracted crackdown on civil dissent deters local activists from taking the lead publicly on sensitive projects. Opposition can thus quickly turn into street protests despite new government initiatives to allow public feedback and that could prove a problem if public opinion sours on nuclear power.

Local governments often welcome the investment and jobs nuclear projects bring but disagreement among local officials can fuel protests. City officials’ unease over oil company Sinopec’s long-delayed paraxylene plant was a factor http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/a6f10e96-e41c-11e3-a73a-00144feabdc0.html#axzz32rprEjFF

May 26, 2014 Posted by | China, opposition to nuclear | Leave a comment

Politicians oppose nuclear power in seismic zone in India

flag-indiaLeft parties turns up heat on Kovvada nuclear plant, The Hindu NATIONAL » ANDHRA PRADESH SRIKAKULAM, May 23, 2014  Setting up the plant in seismic zone a threat to people, they say. CITU leader D. Govinda Rao said that workers, residents of Ranasthalam would launch massive agitations soon to oppose the construction activity in Kovvada.

The Left parties have turned the heat on the construction of a nuclear power project in Kovvada of Ranasthalam mandal again after mild tremor rattles the district on Wednesday saying that the project site comes under highly seismic zone and it would be dangerous for the people.

nuke-earthquakeRepresentatives of the Left Parties have asked the government to reconsider its decision over the establishment of the nuclear plant in the district. Senior CPI (M) leader V.G.K. Murthy said that the government should clarify over the dangers posed with the setting up the nuclear plant in a seismic zone. “The Nuclear Power Corporation of India officials always say that adequate precautions would be taken up to avoid disasters during natural calamities. We feel that such disasters can’t be avoided even in highly advanced countries. So, the government should come up with scientific data to clear the doubts of people,” he added.

CITU leader D. Govinda Rao said that workers, residents of Ranasthalam would launch massive agitations soon to oppose the construction activity in Kovvada. He said that several nuclear experts including Surendra Gadekar had already expressed doubts over the safety of the project. Mr. Surendra Gadekar on Sunday cautioned that Srikakulam town would be affected badly with the establishment of nuclear power plant at Kovvada, which is 35 km away from the district headquarters.

According him, Srikakulam, which is very close to Kovvada, would face radiation problem with the establishment of the nuclear power plant with an installed capacity of 10,000 Megawatts…..http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/andhra-pradesh/left-parties-turns-up-heat-on-kovvada-nuclear-plant/article6037482.ece

May 23, 2014 Posted by | India, opposition to nuclear, politics | Leave a comment

Japan’s atomic bomb survivors – now a dwindling band

Hibakusha: Disappearing A-bomb survivors leave movement’s future in question Mainichi By Sakiko Takahashi, Hiroshima Bureau 20 May 14 HIROSHIMA — The sun cast its soft rays on the green summer vegetation as I headed on my way to visit atomic bomb survivor and poet Hiroshi Maruya, 89, this May 1 after I received his invitation…..

“Finally, only I am left,” said Maruya, his eyes wide open and his voice lonely.

At the end of April, a general meeting of an A-bomb survivors’ group was held at Hiroshima Kyoritsu Hospital, for which Maruya serves as honorary head. The subject of the meeting: how to shrink down the group’s activities. As chairman, Maruya spoke to those gathered, saying, “We haven’t the vitality to actively campaign against nuclear weapons, and must have the younger generation take over the reins.”

At the meeting the subject of disbanding the group even came up, but on the request of members it was decided to leave it in existence.

Meanwhile, as Maruya and I talked, he relayed to me his recent activities: heading to Tokyo to demand improvements for a law supporting A-bomb victims and his visit to South Korea’s Hapcheon County, said to be “South Korea’s Hiroshima” because of its many residents who were exposed to A-bomb radiation.

Regarding the end of the activities by A-bomb survivors’ groups as their members die out, Maruya said, “It’s sad, but I think this is what history is. For both nuclear weapons and nuclear plants, it’s about how vividly and carefully people’s memories of them are preserved, and about how much creativity is born in the process.”…….http://mainichi.jp/english/english/features/news/20140520p2a00m0na006000c.html

May 21, 2014 Posted by | Japan, opposition to nuclear | Leave a comment

UK peace activists make a daring blockade against construction of nuclear weapons

protestBritain: Activists Disrupt Construction of New Nuclear Weapons Factory http://www.globalresearch.ca/britain-activists-disrupt-construction-of-new-nuclear-weapons-factory/5382852 By Global Research News  May 19, 2014by Action AWE (Atomic Weapons Eradication)

flag-UK£2 billion project going ahead, but Parliament has not yet voted on further nuke development.

That’s what you call “democracy”. But it is all for a good cause.  Nuclear weapons are an “instrument of peace”.

Daring dawn blockade of Berkshire’s nuclear weapons factory

This morning at 7.20, a group of people began blockading the Atomic Weapons Establishment (AWE) site at Burghfield, near Reading. The protesters, acting as part of ActionAWE [1], a campaign of nonviolent direct action, are trying to disrupt construction of a new nuclear warhead factory on the site.

The new development at AWE Burghfield is being built at a cost to the tax payer of almost £2 billion, despite the fact that parliament has yet to vote on replacing the current generation of nuclear warheads that the site would build.

The eight protesters, aged between 19 and 40, are locked together using handcuffs inside ‘lock-on’ devices – made from drainpipes, and vegetable oil drums filled with concrete in order to block the gate to the construction site to prevent further work on the site. Traffic is now queued up, unable to enter the facility. The Christians amongst the protesters are singing hymns.

Catherine Bann, 40, mother of two from Todmorden, said: “The money we would spend renewing Trident could pay for all A & E hospital departments in the country for the next 40 years! It’s a huge waste of public money to be investing in nuclear weapons, and people like us must make a stand now, so that future generations do not have to bear the cost.”

Joanna Frew, 35, a member of the United Reformed Church living in London but originally from Scotland, said

“Trident is illegal, immoral and a waste of money. It is the opposite of everything that Jesus teaches us about being co-creators of life and loving your enemies. Political and religious leaders in Scotland are opposed to retaining Trident at Faslane. We have a real opportunity over the next year to say that it is no longer acceptable , and that we don’t want an illegal renewal.”

Phil Wood, 20, a student at Bradford University added

“To be spending millions of pounds and planning to spend billions more on nuclear weapons while cutting back on essential public services that people rely on is unforgivable”.

Matt Fawcett, 39, from Yorkshire CND said Continue reading

May 20, 2014 Posted by | opposition to nuclear, UK | Leave a comment