Hundreds protest over planned restart of Oi nuclear reactors

The cause of nuclear accidents are the same old arguments: How much regulation does the government have authority to do? Should the government regulate the use of atomic energy or should it leave it to the company? Should people be allowed to smoke any place they choose or should the people just accept the air pollution? Once a country that has no natural oil supply becomes addicted to high consumption of electricity, there is no returning to diesel or coal fired trains, just as one example. Japan has to have nuclear power to supply its energy needs. If it refuses to accept that fact, it will not be able to maintain its world economic rating. The only positive outcome is that Japan can destroy it factories and start growing rice on the fertile land underneath the concrete and asphalt. (Of course, this is ridiculous )

In a democracy, a referendum should answer the question as to whether the reactors are restarted or not,let the Japanese people vote on this issue! Why can it be acceptable for small groups or individuals to determine the fate of millions?

i am fed up with the anti -nuke crowd that doesn`t do their homework. there is a risk to eveything. nothing, NOTHING in this world is without its downside. it is just that japan being japan there there were lies, cover-ups, skipped safety-checks, money under the table, amakudari jobs, i could go on. again, i say, HUBRIS and GREED are the main causes of accidents like fukushima and three mile island.

Did they walk to the protest, ride an electric train/subway or hitch hike?

I'm fed up of these 'If you don't like nuclear energy, don't use any electricity' jibes. It's akin to saying if you object to air pollution, don't breathe.

with only hundreds i would say that there is not too much protest.

Did they walk to the protest, ride an electric train/subway or hitch hike? Energy use will continue to increase every year if "economic growth' is expected. Rumor has it that the summer weather will be cool this year, fortunately.

Probably not a thousand people, when they tried to rewrite the history books about Okinawa. There was a protest of one hundred thousand plus. Perhaps most people really have no position and they want their electric this summer.

In an ideal world, we could all rely on 'alternative' forms of energy. Unfortunately, until that time Japan, well most countries, are not ready yet. I look forward to a day without the threat of nuclear meltdowns but with all the reactors offline Japan risks everything from sweltering again (at best) to blackouts and therefore major economic, infrastructure and health problems.

We need to keep in mind that the police can arrest and hold someone for questioning for three weeks without charge. The average person, myself, say, would be fired in that time. They can and do arrest demonstrators for stepping centimeters off the footpath, or claim one violates their official person because the line keeps moving when they tell one specific person to stop and the line pushes said person forward into a blue uniform. Being fired in this economy for having been arrested for demonstrating against nuclear power is not the best line on a resume. It could permanently end one's career.

It is 2012, no nuclear power... but business needs power to function, hospitals and vulnerable groups need air con... alternatives won't be ready for around a decade... what are you all suggesting? Japan lives in a Showa state until they are online? Live in a 50s world? Get your heads out of the clouds and look at the real world, not your Utopian dream world.

People and businesses need power NOW, not in ten years.

Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda said on Wednesday said that it is necessary to restart idled reactors whose safety has been confirmed and that the central government is winning the understanding of local authorities.

The final say and advise on Japan nukes will always come from tsunamis, earthquakes or even terrorist attacks, not from Noda, the corrupt and corrupted companies, locals and governers. The middle ground if the politicians do it their way is for the politicians and companies to sign a contract with the people: should there be a nuclear accident of some sort such as that resulting from earthquake, tsunami or even careless leakage of nuclear materials, the signatory should immediately lose his/her job, be held responsible for death and damage, pay huge fine and be put in prison for the rest of his/her life. This way, even those corrupting the locals will think twice ......

Elected officials should do what the citizens want, which is "no more" radiation plants. Almost everyone would be at the protests if they weren't at work, and/or far away.

It amazes/peeves me that I'm sitting here on a local train on a Saturday morning and every single light, senpuki and air con vent is ON!... I've been doing my setsuden, why can't the train companies...

zichi: It should indeed have been hundreds of thousands, but you have to remember this is Japan, and it's a work day. No way an office is going to let its staff off to go and protest, even though it's for a good cause. Still should have been more, though, when you take into account those not working and/or retired, but people here are also well known for their apathy when it comes to government decisions. I'm just glad that this many (and of course more who didn't show up) are standing up and making this an issue.

The government simply will not listen. Period. They'll ask the people to 'understand' and 'cooperate', but when general mistrust and feelings against the restarts prevail over the few who are for it, namely the electric companies and government interests, they'll say, "Shouganai ne" and talk about how it's needed for the economy and to prevent blackouts, and they 'hope for understanding'.

I really, really hope the government listens to the voice of the people on this and reflects on the cost of nuclear power with regards to how much Fukushima has cost - not just in terms of money, either.