259 citizens file suit to block restart of reactors in Fukui

I really hope they can keep them offline. We have been doing fine without them, so how about just shutting them down?

I should also add, that if that plant were to have a meltdown, there is a very good chance that it would pollute the largest lake in Japan. The water from this lake is used for a large chunk or agriculture and manufactoring which if tainted, would have a large-scale affect on Japan's food and economy.

ONLY 259!?

Good luck to them - I sure hope they are successful. But with the big corporations, politicians and other grubs keen to get their fingers in the money pie and continue to run these things very badly like before, I don't fancy their odds.

Angry sheep. BaaaaAAAAA

It honestly doesn't matter if the reactors are restarted or not, the pose they same risk either way

The government has said time and again, with pride, that they operate NPPs only with the agreement of the local residents. Well, they've stopped saying that, and instead have started asking for 'understanding' while the government seems intent on ignoring these and other people's calls for the reactors remaining shut down.

We survived the "shortages" for winter, and I think the threats of such shortages for summer are also just a crock to get the money and grease wheels turning again for the companies and government.

The government will restart them eventually, as the companies have too much power and the government too much investment, but it's good to see people out and in protest.

Angry sheep. BaaaaAAAAA

I think the sheep are the ones - probably like you - who follow the Japanese government's line without question. It's nice to see a few people for once here "kicking against the pr!cks", if you will.

BurakuminDes

"Angry sheep. BaaaaAAAAA" I think the sheep are the ones - probably like you - who follow the Japanese government's line without question. It's nice to see a few people for once here "kicking against the pr!cks", if you will.

Well said!!! The true sheep are as you say the ones that swallow the who TEPCO, government line about this issue. And sadly there are a few of them around.

If there are real and legitimate issues, like the reactors' earthquake resistance not being up to scratch, then I think these citizens are doing the right thing. Two of Japan's biggest cities, Kyoto and Osaka, are within 100kms of the Oi reactors, and if there was a meltdown that would place over 8 million people at risk, that's about 20% of the population of Japan.

It will also hopefully make KEPCO give some thought to alternative power sources. The longer that people keep those reactors offline the "cheaper" it makes other power sources.

Good maths, Frungy

why? the problem is at tepco not the other reactors. people are panicking too much. right now u should start the reactors and then force them to upgrade their facilities. or we'll all suffer in the summer.

Poke: "Angry sheep. BaaaaAAAAA"

Dude, the sheep would not be out in 'PROTEST', would they? The sheep are the 'shouganai' crowd, hence 'sheep'.

garomakaikishi: "why? the problem is at tepco not the other reactors."

Until an incident happens at one of 'the other reactors' and everyone scratches their heads and wonders why we let them get turned back one. Besides, there ARE problems at other reactors, and have been cover-ups and scandals related to problems in the past. It's quite well known that nuclear power is just not worth the costs when something goes wrong -- and it always does.

"right now u should start the reactors and then force them to upgrade their facilities."

In that order? I say they should be forced to upgrade NOW, then PERHAPS be turned on later if the local communities and people of Japan as a whole approve (and not the people planted by the electric companies to fill out questionnaires!).

"or we'll all suffer in the summer."

Like we did in the winter?

Scared STUPID, I have been doing some research on line about the effects of oil and coal air pollution. Depending on the source it goes from 13.5 thousand to 50 thousand in the USA. There was an article in the Guardian that a groups of MPs said 50k die prematurely in the UK. Now in Japan the burning of fossil fuels has increased dramatically due to the atomic plants being off line. While the public is worried about the radiation from Fukushima, they ignore the radiation being released from the burning of fossil fuels. The deaths from lung disease, heart disease and cancer. Emissions from these plants pollute water as well. So while the public has its attention on atomic power, they ignore the deaths and suffering from fossil fuels.

Kepco should answer the following questions before throwing the switch....

Were the reactors at Oi built to withstand an earthquake such as those that occur in Japan? Can a reactor design over 25 years old be trusted NOT to fail in such an event? How can it be 'safe' to site reactors on active fault lines?

The operation of the reactors is not really the concern is it?

Yes, let's stop using nuclear power and start burning our imaginary lignite supplies, lest we be held ransom by an Arab oil sheikh

sakuralaMAR. 12, 2012 - 04:05PM JST I should also add, that if that plant were to have a meltdown, there is a very good chance that it would pollute the largest lake in Japan. The water from this lake is used for a large chunk or agriculture and manufactoring which if tainted, would have a large-scale affect on Japan's food and economy.

Absolutely. Nearly every prefecture surrounding lake Biwako receives it's water supply from it. Contamination could be catastrophic. Unfortunately there will always be a threat from nuclear plants as this country is the most seismically active in the ring of fire and has many nuclear plants providing energy. A double edged sword as Japan receives 50% of its energy from nuclear power and relies upon it heavily. I believe there is never a better time then now for Japan to begin decommissioning the most "at risk" plants and look for other ways to harness energy. The downside however, is it takes a very long time to fully decommission one plant, let alone many of them and there simply are not alternative energy sources that fulfill its large consumption needs.

zichi, That still leaves the 10 percent and look at China. Japan is downwind from China and is effected by their pollution. What people forget is there is radioactive decay everywhere. Even the gold in your ring is emitting radiation as it turns into lead. Atomic power needs to be phased out and perhaps the government should require solar panels by law on every house, apartment block and industrial buildings. The problem is that shutting down all of the atomic plants now will lead to more early deaths and not less. About no go zones, we already have them Picher OK and the Love Canal in New York are just 2 of them.

Nuclear is unacceptable. Never should have been developed. Time to move on.

They are obviously not necesary as they are offline now we are all still ok so why take the RISC of restarting them? Polluting the world... About time Japan became a little more green. And stop eating whales let the stocks be revived then u can eat again. Foolish govt

"Nuclear is unacceptable"

What about thorium reactors?

They should have the option of opting out of the power grid and put windmills on their roofs. Let them live by their words.

more pollution if they go back to fossil fuels

Shaun the Sheep, aka Shaun das Schaff, and I will be out protesting next time! Sheep united against dangerous, unsafe, hellaciously expensive nuclear power!

Fukushima? Fukui? Same Fuku so in my book, better t close them plants down ASAP!!

Serrano:

" What about thorium reactors? "

By all acounts, thorium reactors are a very promising technology. Plus, if left alone, they simply shut down, instead of requiring years and years of cooling.

But amid all the anti-nuclear hysteria, Western governments are not investing in thorium reactor research.

Baaaa

The people who just say "shoganai" and swallow whatever they're told are just the normal sheep. The ones who all get hysterically upset in the same predictable way, swallow whatever they're told from the other side, and don't really have any original or realistic solutions, are the angry sheep.

@YuriOtani

Even the gold in your ring is emitting radiation as it turns into lead.

Please let me know where did you learn your physics? I want to avoid sending my kids there for education.

Naturally occurring gold (197Au) is stable (as in not radioactive). There are synthetically produced isotopes of gold which do go trough radioactive decay, but they decay into Mercury (Hg). I have yet to hear of a gold isotope decaying into lead.