Nuclear reactor switched on in Kyushu despite protests

It's a 31 year old reactor that was made to last 30 years and they restarted it? Perfect!

Nuclear reactor switched on; democracy switched off.

It means cleaner air, war is peace and what about the self determination of the Ryukyu people?

I suspect something like ownership of nuclear weapon or something equivalent to it is promised to Abe administration with Japan handlers since it appears to be obediently following Armitage report (http://csis.org/files/publication/120810_Armitage_USJapanAlliance_Web.pdf). This reminds me of Shoriki Japanese media king, who is referred as Podam by CIA. This also can be a possible reason why English media are featuring the atrocity done by atomic bomb-definitely the rest of the world won't be confident with someone like Abe having his hands on the weapon or political system which allows someone like him as a "leader." Yeah, I know it's just speculation but it's that worrying.

So now this is running are you going to put our rates back by the 25% you increased them by?

finally common sense prevails over fearmongering, you can thumb me down all you like, the reply will be more reactors switched on shortly. have a nice day

Finally! Stop pandering to the antinuclear zealots and start those things up again.

Yeah if a meteor hits the reactor what will they do?!??! People want to sensationalize nuclear reactors but totally ignore the crap that coal and natural gas have been spewing out because its slow moving even though it has killed thousands due to air pollution. Renewables are great but expensive and "space intensive." Where will you put them in japan? France is 70% nuclear power. What have you heard from them. Nothing because it works. Stop the fearmongering against nuclear power.

Tis a sad day for Japan

France is 70% nuclear power. What have you heard from them. Nothing because it works

Nothing because France doesn't have major fault lines running through it. France doesn't sit on top of where a whole bunch of tectonic plates come together and cause literally thousands of earthquakes a year.

Comparing France with Japan is like comparing a stone with a jelly.

I'm all for nuclear power, but I don't trust the ass hats running them, TEPCO, KEPCO, or whatever EPCO they have here in Japan.

Reckless: "with oil prices plunging what's the urgency?"

They want to put the expensive plants to use to further line their pockets along with the electricity rate increases the companies have put into place over the past years. The more profit they can make, the better for them. Money... plain and simple. So long as it makes the CEOs and stake-holders money NOW who the hell cares what happens to everyone else later!

Clearly the government's promise to listen to the people means absolutely nothing. More and more like China every day, save that China doesn't try to hide the fact that it doesn't care what the people think.

A very sad day. Japan is more and more like the US where only business does matter.

Read my lips: KA-BOOM.

There an acceptable level of danger in any society. In energy poor countries like Japan, the level is higher than in energy rich countries.

Interesting comment, I understand the context.

warispeace wrote: 'Nuclear reactor switched on; democracy switched off'

Democracy is best measured by how quickly it acts; the faster the decision the less democratic.

As the nuclear power restart effects of this decision is framed by countless generations; the decision to restart needed far more time.

So the decision to restart nuclear energy production is relatively very very short in democratic terms.

Making the decision, a win at all cost mindset; because every other concern is a secondary consideration.

France is 70% nuclear power. What have you heard from them. Nothing because it works

Yes, it works in France because it's not run by a bunch of lying and caniving jijis that cut costs by shortcutting safety procedures and fiddle their books to make it look like it's safe. The French nuclear power industry is the best in the world and have advised Japan on ways to improve the safety of their plants, which Japan has chosen to ignore. It was a French team that advised the Japanese to move the bach up generators onto the roofs of the housings and waterproof the back up electrical systems in the early 2000's, which they still have not done. Despite what these goons keep spouting, if another tsunami hits one of these plants (online or offline) the same scenario of Fukushima will happen. They will lose their cooling systems which will lead to another hydrogen explosion and meltdown.

According to CNBC 'A March telephone survey by Asahi Shimbun showed 59 percent of respondents were opposed to the restart of all plants. Meanwhile, 57 percent of more than 1,000 respondents were opposed to the Sendai plant's reactivation, a new Mainichi Shimbun public poll showed on Monday.'

With there being no end to the radioactive leaks at Fukushima, there is ever increasing danger to our environment. Japan's politicians are ignoring the concerns of their electorate and there have been a number of previous accidents in Japan such as the almost farcical nuclear-reaction--in-a-bucket which killed employees at Tokaimura to the yet to be explained roof top radioactive contamination found in Yokohama. What hasn't been reported we have only to guess at but the USS Reagan' personnel will finally see a ruling this month regarding a case for death and injury-the defendant is Tepco! If is seen that the sailors on the ship died as a result of the radioactive discharges from Fukushima then the assertions of the Japanese government that nobody has died as a direct result of the nuclear disaster will be laid to rest......

Yes! No more Co2.

200 protesters.

Yes democracy is very much broken isn't it?

Wildwest... yes a reduction in CO2 thats guaranteed to cause death and destruction is regarded as a bad thing on this forum.

wow ive got -10 thumbs down, thats about how many reators will be switched back online this year alone, LOL keep them coming

wildwest - Yes! No more Co2.

Yes, that's right! Just thousands of tons of radioactive waste that will stay radioactive for over a thousand years. Let's store it at your house, shall we?

@ Heda_Madness The Japanese people are (in a majority) opposed to nuclear power-why should their democratic rights be ignored? Do you agree with dictatorship?

And 200 protestors were not the figures reported in CNBC online today!

Go and read my post again and comment intelligently, if you are able....,,

Kurisupisu

Why don't you read my post again and tell me where I was referring to yours? And then maybe you could comment intelligently. If you're able to...

People who are against nuclear power shouldn't defend nuclear industry in France. You don't know how things are handled there or in other places. Nuclear industry is very corrupted everywhere. The main purpose of nuclear industry is the development of nuclear weapons. They don't care about safety.

If you are interested in making a few dollars for yourself and supporting the production of energy with virtually no greenhouse emissions, my tip is to buy shares in Uranium companies, as this is the little green light the markets have all been waiting for. You may make quite a lot of money. You would have made 10% alone today. Do your own research please.

Nuclear power and Japan just don't go together. Earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanoes, typhoons and other types of natural disasters hit Japan every year. The disaster risk in Japan, all things being equal, is even worse than Indonesia. If these nuclear reactors restart, I think Japan's people have been failed by their government. And do you know what's ironic? Nuclear power is supposed to be a "safe and cheap" source of energy, yet in Japan it's been dangerous and expensive. The Fukushima nuclear disaster, along with the 2011 earthquake and tsunami, has cost Japan and its taxpayers $250+ billion US dollars, and it's still an ongoing disaster. The Fukushima nuclear disaster will continue to have health impacts on the Japanese people and it has left a huge scar on Japan.

The infrastructure is there, so why not use them?

I thought Japan was pushing heavy on the solar energy last I heard? You pro-nuclear need to give it up. No one argues against pro-nuclear for coal. Japan was headed in the right direction with their solar panels - lots of houses and businesses were putting them up. I want to know why that is suddenly being put to the wayside.

It's about time, welcome back to the world JPN... Now lets figure out a way to make it better?

I want to know why that is suddenly being put to the wayside.

The current leader of Japan is a right-wing guy who follows the typical right-wing policy about everything.

I sure hope there are no accidents/meltdowns/radioactivity released.

Two things to consider.

Recycling the spent fuel from the reactors. France gets 80% of their energy from nuclear and recycled most of the spent fuel.

Toxic waste created from the production of photovoltaic cells. (Solar panels)

Nuclear energy is a viable option if handled correctly. Safety first and profit last.

With Fukushima Daiichi in touch-and-go situation, it is just insane to restart this Sendai plant in Kagoshima. Ordinary people in Korea and Taiwan would be feeling uneasy. It is amazing that Abe gets everything he wants, despite oppositions and despite his ministers who are just craps - look at the remarks and attitudes of these ministers broadcast live from the diet.

Ordinary people in Korea and Taiwan would be feeling uneasy.

They should feel unseasy about their own nuclear reactors in the first place. Look at this news, for example:

http://edition.cnn.com/2015/08/11/europe/us-f16-germany-crash/index.html

What about if it was crashed against a nuclear reactor? It's not impossible. There's no single place on this Earth where to have nuclear reactors is "safe".

Alex80 A nuclear reactor can withstand the fall of an airplane.

Alex80 A nuclear reactor can withstand the fall of an airplane.

Yeah, I'm sure it's true! Seriously. No. I don't trust the nuclear industry.

In USA, hardly any news about Japan all year around. This morning, I was watching local of local and it stated and showed this news. Photo of demo, too. There is no nuclear power plants in our state that this became the top news of foreign countries in out city.or so I guess

Hydrocarbons are dirty, wind turbines kill birds and solar uses polluting copper. If nuclear is not the answer...maybe conservation or energy efficiency is the surest way?

No matter where you stand on this issue, was there really any doubt in anyone's mind that this day would sooner or later come?

Now, there will be a committee to specify which mountains will be specified to be candidstes of nuclear waste dump well sites.

Let's frame this issue differently, if Bay marriage was opposed by a majority of Japanese people but accepted by this town then gay marriage should be banned from this town? That's essentially what many of you are saying. But since it's morally right to support one issue then why shouldn't the same principle apply to nuclear power?

@nakanoguy01: when the whole Japan will be radioactive, I wonder what pro-nuclear people like you will do. Basically, pro-nuclear people don't understand that you can lose your country FOR EVER.

The bigger concern here is not the power plant itself, but:

This proves that the govt. clearly doesn't give a stuff what the public think Japan is far from a democratic country Sets a precedent for things to come

Over to you, citizens -- you must vote these fools out of office.

Coal plants release 100 times the radiation as atomic plants plus lots of pollution including mercury. Atomic energy is a bridge until non polluting sources of energy can be perfected.

<http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/coal-ash-is-more-radioactive-than-nuclear-waste/>

While oil is cheap now a single world event can push it well over $100 a barrel. Also oil has its own pollution problems.

<http://www.mnn.com/health/fitness-well-being/blogs/fossil-fuels-deadlier-than-nuclear-radiation>

This proves that the govt. clearly doesn't give a stuff what the public think Japan is far from a democratic country Sets a precedent for things to come

It's democratic in the weird way of other Western democracies. I guess there are deep reasons why Japan can't abandon nuclear power, that we don't know, and why your ordinary people can't decide about it. For example, in Italy (that I consider a "broken democracy" anyway) we got two referendum about nuclear power. People had to vote: yes or not. In both the referendum won "NO" and Italy is completely nuclear free. Apparently, Japan can't get rid of nuclear power so easily. I bet also in France they can't decide by a simple referendum, and not even in the US. Basically, there are countries where people can decide about nuclear power, and countries where people can't. And, of course, there are deeply political implications in this difference.

Approved the Sendai assembly and the Governor. Democracy at work.

The problem with these survey is that they never address the repercussions which includes whether or not the public will pay for decomissioning every single NPP.

I love how people maintain that democracy is broken.

This government was reelected. Before the election they made no effort to hide the fact they were pro-nuclear and would turn the power plants back on.

They won by a landslide.

That some people don't support them being turned on does not change they fact that they were voted by the public and there are no surprises.

@YuriOtani Stop confusing gaijin with facts. Especially from such a bad source like Scientific American :P

@YuriOtaniAUG. 12, 2015 - 01:35AM JST Coal plants release 100 times the radiation as atomic plants plus lots of pollution including mercury. Atomic energy is a bridge until non polluting sources of energy can be perfected

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Find what is radiation, Borrow your neighbor children.s intro text book. Find what is mercury.

Except for Hamaoka Nuclear Power Plant in Shizuoka facing the Pacific (Nankai Draft), I am one of those happy supporters that at least 16 nuclear reactors will be put back to operation. 16 x 2,000 MW per reactor, that's a lot of fossil fuels to be saved. Japan economy will be greater. Each nuclear power plant (with 4 reactor per power plant) employs direct workers numbering to several thousands.

I want all nuclear reactors until NAS Battery or Large Lithium Battery storage technology (just like the one used in Japanese Submarines) are widely applied to all SOLAR Power Plants. This may take 5 to 10 years from now to mass produce NAS Battery and/or Large Lithium Battery Storage.

Meanwhile, in America, wind turbine prices fall, while some states generate 10% of their power from wind power:

http://arstechnica.com/science/2015/08/doe-wind-power-2014-report-finds-its-dropping-dramatically-in-cost/

Japan: Failing to catch up with the the rest of the world, since time began.

@doraemonchanAUG. 12, 2015 - 12:16AM JST Hydrocarbons are dirty, wind turbines kill birds and solar uses polluting copper. If nuclear is not the answer...maybe conservation or energy efficiency is the surest way?

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How come strong nuclear promoters are confused like above comment? This gaijin need to check dictionary st least. Maybe OK One gaijin can not understand Yuri but he is not complaining above comment€

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USA power? Solar Energy is energy source of Calif and many states do not have nuclear energy plant. Wind? Not talked in many states Tornades and monsoons blew away the out of dated windmills/

@Reckless" Don't stereotype all Japanese to insult all Japanese, please/ We love unbiased gaijin vomment writers. Last thing we want is Japan use old sakoku to get rid of all gaijins.

Many are biased again with Japanese Government decision as if they live here in Japan. For you to know, this is the best move by the Japanese Government. There is the human error factor but Japanese safety standard is the safest practice, or one of the safest in the world. Those nuclear reactors facing the Pacific, due to its multiple tectonic plates should be postponed for the time being until the back-up power-supply are put on higher grounds. The rests of nuclea power plants must be restarted as soon as possible. The 7-nuclear reactors in NIIGATA, even though near the sea can be re-started too. I lived near this plant a decade ago when two powerful earthquake, THE CHUETSU and the Chuetsu-OKI earthquake happened with intensity-of-grounbd-shaking or SHINDO SCALE of 6+ (2nd highest ground shaking acceleration).

Also, we are paying for the SOlar or Renewable energy. Consumers are paying for every KWHr energy given by small-to-mega solar power producers in Japan, as mandated by the FIT LAW. When the SOlar plants are giving to the grid from 10 AM to 3PM, the COAL/LNG Power Plants are still running because it takes a long time for them to shut down and restart again, even though at DAYTIME HIGH, the SOLAR ENERGY GIVEN to the grid sometimes OVERSHOOTS the total energy required. And WE RE PAYING ALL THOSE idle energy produced by coal and LNG. They are all written in items in my MONTHLY ELECTRICITY BILLS. Unless, otherwise, enough STORAGE for SOLAR energy like NAS Battery and Powerful (new-Gen) Lithium Battery are not mass-produce, NUCLEAR PP should be opertating up to 10 years from now.

@Kenny IyekawaAUG. 12, 2015 - 10:02AM JST @Reckless When California gets hit by a 9.0 quake and tsunami, don't expect to come over to Nippon, 結構です

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tHERE IS NO NUKE PLANT IN cALIF NOW. you have to visit CA, Tsunami? Earthquake in CA? CA is not Japan. Which country you are from. Visit CA once in a while. Utility companies use solar enerby panel plants.

^ I'm from Japan....California still has Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant

Reckless Sorry to tell you WIllb wrote to me I should not write because this is gaijin only board. I worte message to moderator hiw mamnyears rule and I am still alive here. Try to kick me out from board.

@Reckless: So Calif now all solar power panel created electricity, It is hot but Pacific Ocean is near. Solar energy utility companies subscribing enable full blast air conditioners in hot seasons and heaters in winter if it gets cooler.

Watvh when you copy and paste. Often article sas created in 2020. Get latest daa from Mitsubushu or Samuo or Chinese companies that have been roiling on theur solar panel form projects in Calif for ueats. Check when said article was created. ompare dofferent langiatge versions. English version is just copu of certain artilee of Japanese lang version.

toshiko California has on atomic plant running and solar accounts for less than 3.5 percent. Solar power will not work for Japan as the length of the day is shorter and there are more cloudy days. Then where would we place them? Until there is a viable source atomic energy will be important to Japan. Fossil fuels are making Japanese sick from their emissions. Do you want Tokyo to have the same air quality as Beijing?