March 26, 2015
Representatives of a federation of 183 neighborhood associations in Hakodate City in Hokkaido on March 25 visited the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) to submit a petition with 146,184 signatures calling for a freeze on the construction of the Oma Nuclear Power Plant which has been under way on the opposite shore.
They earlier submitted a written request for the freeze to Electric Power Development Co., Ltd. (J-Power) which is forging ahead with the construction of the plant in Oma Town in Aomori across the Tsugaru Strait.
They began collecting signatures in December last year and succeeded in gathering more than 140,000 signatures in just three months by making door-to-door visits and by having volunteers ask neighbors on the street in each community to sign.
At a press conference held after the petition submission, the federation’s head Shinya Tadashi said, “The140,000 signatures represent Hakodate residents’ demand for an immediate freeze.”
He expressed concern that the spread of radiation contamination would soon reach across the strait if an accident occurs because nothing exists on the water to block radiation from coming to Hakodate.
The federation head said that Hakodate residents have been very anxious about the risk of terrorist attacks, the impact of warm-water discharge from the plant on the fishing industry, and the lack of adequate evacuation measures in a nuclear emergency.
He demanded that the government and the plant operator suspend the construction and properly address the residents’ concerns. Only after doing so can they make a decision whether to continue with construction work, he said.
Regarding meetings with local residents, J-Power reportedly responded that it “will consider” and that METI “will think about” holding a meeting with residents.
Past related articles:
> Gov’t is disseminating new nuclear safety myth: city mayor [July 8, 2014]
> Hakodate City sues state & power co., seeking halt to NPP construction [April 4, 2014]
> Hakodate City in court suit seeks to suspend NPP construction [February 13, 2014]
They earlier submitted a written request for the freeze to Electric Power Development Co., Ltd. (J-Power) which is forging ahead with the construction of the plant in Oma Town in Aomori across the Tsugaru Strait.
They began collecting signatures in December last year and succeeded in gathering more than 140,000 signatures in just three months by making door-to-door visits and by having volunteers ask neighbors on the street in each community to sign.
At a press conference held after the petition submission, the federation’s head Shinya Tadashi said, “The140,000 signatures represent Hakodate residents’ demand for an immediate freeze.”
He expressed concern that the spread of radiation contamination would soon reach across the strait if an accident occurs because nothing exists on the water to block radiation from coming to Hakodate.
The federation head said that Hakodate residents have been very anxious about the risk of terrorist attacks, the impact of warm-water discharge from the plant on the fishing industry, and the lack of adequate evacuation measures in a nuclear emergency.
He demanded that the government and the plant operator suspend the construction and properly address the residents’ concerns. Only after doing so can they make a decision whether to continue with construction work, he said.
Regarding meetings with local residents, J-Power reportedly responded that it “will consider” and that METI “will think about” holding a meeting with residents.
Past related articles:
> Gov’t is disseminating new nuclear safety myth: city mayor [July 8, 2014]
> Hakodate City sues state & power co., seeking halt to NPP construction [April 4, 2014]
> Hakodate City in court suit seeks to suspend NPP construction [February 13, 2014]
