Court rejects suit requesting halt of western Japan nuclear reactor

The plaintiffs argued the utility's risk assessment in the event of a Nankai Trough megaquake in the Pacific and a violent eruption of Mt. Aso in southwestern Japan is insufficient.

Shikoku Electric said its evaluation is based on the government's projection of the largest possible earthquake and that a massive volcanic eruption is highly unlikely.

Ikata is only about 60 + kms from the very active thermal area of Oita - complete with hot springs, bubbling mud and pools.

And Mt Aso the # 1 active volcano in Japan and one of the largest in the world is only about 100+kms away in a straight line. The Aso - Oita region is subject to daily quake activity. The last huge eruption was 20 odd years ago causing great damage and also deaths.

The longest fault line in Japan - Japan Median Tectonic Line (MTL) stretching from Ibaraki to Nagasaki passes through Eime linking to the Aso active area. And where is Ikata built - right on the fault. Yep. The most active fault line in West Japan.

And to add more dumbfounded-ness to it all, the Nankai Trough to the South of Shikoku is only a couple 100 kms away. This is the expected Big One that if unleashed will surely impact the MTL and produce Tsunamis funneling right up to Ehime.

So in light of the tragic under-estimation of the Tohoku quake possibility of 2011, Shikoku Denryoku's assessment is surely naive as is the Presiding Judge Kazumi Ohama analysis,

"We cannot say that there are actual risks to harming the lives and bodies of the plaintiffs."*

Who runs the country?

If nuclear power plants built with taxpayers' money are truly dangerous, that should be scientifically proven, and we shouldn't bring up people the Communist Party would like, such as atomic bomb victims.

In the first place, there are no nuclear power plants in Japan that have collapsed in earthquakes.

It is in the public's interest to use nuclear power plants that are proven safe, not to continue using fossil fuel power plants that rely on crude oil and continue to emit carbon dioxide.

One of the promises made by either the governor Ehime or mayor of Ikata, I can't remember which one, was that they promised to be able to evacuate the whole town in case of an emergency.

When they actually did a trial run, there were only able to evacuate about 200 people in the time span that they promised.

It was a failure but they still pushed to have the plant restarted even though they couldn't guarantee a quick evacuation. Doesn't sound like they have the local people's interest at heart.

Unfortunately, Japanese judges are still prone to prioritize government policy than safety of citizen. Because Japanese judges who deliver inconvenient judgment to government policy are likely demoted.

But, this Ikata nuclear plant is located on largest class fault belt "Median Tectonic Line", it was built without considering evacuation of residents.

This nuclear plant's disaster will contaminate many people, cities, agricultural products and Seto inland sea marine products.

My Facts about the siting of the Ikata nuclear plant hasn't drawn any contrary comments or rebuttals.

That's strange considering the in-rapid time-down voting???

Please make discussion supporting the good siting of Ikata and how the power company and judge are justified in saying what amounts to "Don't Worry, Be Happy".

Some facts to gnaw on please.

I don't think there's any need to argue...

Evacuation plans are only necessary within a 30km radius, no one is talking about areas several hundred kilometers away.

Incidentally, it has been confirmed that almost all of those opposed to the restart of nuclear power plants have ties to the Communist Party. This time, they are included among the people who filed the lawsuit, including the lawyers.

The Communist Party, under orders from China, must really not want nuclear power plants to be restarted in order to damage Japan's economic activity.