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Sendai reactor refueled for restart, despite opposition

29 Comments

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29 Comments
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I feel sorry for the people in Tohoku, having to put up with this.

Down here in Okinawa, we have things we have to put up with too.

Both as unwanted.

Both as dangerous.

7 ( +12 / -5 )

@ Bertie - this reactor is actually down in Kyushu, not up here in Tohoku. But yeah - so much for all those promises of "obtaining permission at the local level" for these restarts. Yet more lies and broken promises from the Japanese government. Good luck to those down in Kyushu - you may well need it.

5 ( +7 / -2 )

The government literally VOWED that "no NPP would be restarted without the approval of local residents". They don't have the approval, and here they are restarting the reactor. Tells you a lot about the kind of democratic government we are dealing with, and how much of their BS is just lip-service with the hope that things go their way, and how when it does not they will do it their way regardless. All I can say is keep this in mind, people, next time you vote -- and then actually go and vote instead of sitting at home.

4 ( +7 / -3 )

I'm guessing Kyushu Electric Power have the biggest "friends" in Abe's government to push this crap through. What happened to the we wont restart without local approval?

6 ( +8 / -2 )

Zichi, BurakuminDes,

I stand corrected. How embarrassing!

Kyushu is close, but only on paper.

As it is, we have plenty to contend with in Okinawa.

Oh for a more natural environment!

3 ( +5 / -2 )

despite widespread public opposition to the nuclear power.

this is a local issue, and the local assembly, who were voted in by the public, gave the green light. that is how democracy works. if so many people are against the restart then they need to vote out the incumbents and elect new assembly people.

-6 ( +5 / -11 )

The public are being shafted time after time after time by Abe and his ilk, and all those who put money above health, safety and common sense. Will another Fukushima-scale disaster be enough to change their minds?

5 ( +6 / -1 )

Well when this one blows up who will accept the blame then bow in shame for their decision . Bet no one all they care about is money not the People of Japan that have to suffer the consequences of Nuclear accidents caused by man or nature.

4 ( +5 / -1 )

A group of about 120 people gathered in front of the power plant to protest against the restart, TV Asahi reported.

It will take more than that

4 ( +4 / -0 )

Good time to buy Uranium stocks. They have been waiting for these re-starts.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

When a problem happens in Kyushu it is likely that a large number of us will be hit by the fallout.The Inland Sea area is densely populated

2 ( +5 / -3 )

Pro nuclear here. Hope that is not vulgar.

2 ( +6 / -4 )

Looks like some people have already seen the future since they appear to know the plant will blow... despite no accidents in the past.

-1 ( +5 / -6 )

I am assuming that this is just the first of a number of restarts. Is the cost saving in regard to the importing of fossil fuels justify the risks involved. If so has this been presented rationally to j public to review?

1 ( +2 / -1 )

"Pro nuclear here. Hope that is not vulgar."

Nope. But uninformed, in my opinion. I got mine from actually testing some of the safety systems of the Mark I BWR.

0 ( +4 / -4 )

Rushing headlong into disaster -- another one.

-1 ( +3 / -4 )

Looks like some people have already seen the future since they appear to know the plant will blow... despite no accidents in the past.

Fukushima was a triple nuclear meltdown, the worst nuclear disaster in modern times. The Japanese nuclear industry is corrupt and will only benefit Japanese corporations and only increase the risk of further nuclear fallouts in Japan.

Many Japanese people are very wary of where their fish comes from, although most are probably labelled as coming from the Hokuriku/Kyushu/etc, we will never know their true origins because mislabeling of the origin of food items is rampant in Japan. Therefore, you are most likely consuming irradiated fish if you are in Japan. It would take years of exposure to nuclear radiation for it to increase the risk of cancer due to accumulation of DNA damaged cells, facilitating the activation of oncogenes and down-regulation of tumor suppressor genes. Actually, the increased risk of solid risk of cancers due to the Fukushima nuclear disaster is already scientifically published on scientifically renowned journals such as Nature.

Japan has already suffered from 3 nuclear disasters: Hiroshima, Nagasaki and Fukushima. It is the country which has been impacted by nuclear radiation the most. In a seismically active country like Japan, installing more nuclear reactors across the country will only increase the risk of another nuclear fallout. No need to exacerbate an already deep wound. Nuclear reactors may sound like an attractive idea, but for earthquake-prone countries like Japan and Indonesia, the risks outweigh the benefits.

4 ( +8 / -4 )

I've seen people complain about the nuclear reactors and yet they complain about the higher electricity prices when those reactors are not running. Get a grip and make up your mind.

There are other technologies out there for less dangerous reactors "thorium (molten salt reactor and accelerator driven), fast breeder (somehow that failed in Japan because of the cost) and a whole lot of other variants. The point is that the time that is being spent on not using reactors they could be changed out especially in areas that have more than 1 reactor running at any given time. I understand that it takes more than 15 years to change out a reactor. These new reactors are smaller and actually put out the same amount of power maybe even more and do not necessarily need to be next to water just in case of a reactor scram situation like in Fukushima. Japan has expressed interest in these technologies and have done nothing about it until this big earthquake came around.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

Not heaving nuclear energy cost Japan too much economic slow down but heaving it around is not very safe so the only solution to this problem is to fast track development of new technologies for large scale production of safe/green energy.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

The oldest and most dangerous reactors are being decommissioned and new safety standards are being put in place. Nothing is perfect and everything is dangerous. The benefit of atomic power is less pollution and less spending on fossil fuels. I remember as a child going to Tokyo and not being able to see for more than 10 meters. If people are worried about Japanese inspectors than perhaps the IAEA can do the inspections. Fossil fuels are a trap and atomic power can be use until a suitable replacement can be deployed. I think wind power like they have in America will help. I have seen the vast fields of the windmills. They can be placed on Japans mountains and reduce the need for fossil fuels even more. Than there is geothermal power which is very clean as well. There is a path forward and the Japanese government needs to stop wasting money and start building clean non atomic power renewable fuel electric stations. However until that time only the safest atomic power stations should be allowed to come online.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Japan's nuclear power infrastructure mirrors its population-it's becoming older and older. Situated on arguably the most earthquake and tsunami prone area in the world it is just a matter of time before another major accident occurs! Fukushima is noticeable by its size, what of the other accidents? Tokaimura, where people died due to ignorance? Monju, where it is said that nothing was released yet radiation has been measured on rooftops in Yokohama downwind.....

History shows that history does indeed repeat !

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

Oh no, I don't foresee anything good about this either...Japanese utility companies ought to focus on wind and solar power for the sake of the environment and the safety of the Japanese people!

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

@smithinjapan

The government literally VOWED that "no NPP would be restarted without the approval of local residents". They don't have the approval, and here they are restarting the reactor. Tells you a lot about the kind of democratic government we are dealing with, and how much of their BS is just lip-service with the hope that things go their way, and how when it does not they will do it their way regardless.

Yep, just gaman, shouganai with an obnoxious yoroshikuonegashimasu and everyone carries on with their day.

-3 ( +0 / -3 )

It is a good choice to restart the reactor. No one died as a consequence of the radiation in Fukushima accident. Only people died because of fear. So, public science and education still has a long way to go to get rid of the unnecessary fear.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

They are all going to dance the dance when the very active Sakurajima goes Boooom!!!

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

WesternerJapan87

Fukushima was a triple nuclear meltdown, the worst nuclear disaster in modern times. The Japanese nuclear industry is corrupt and will only benefit Japanese corporations and only increase the risk of further nuclear fallouts in Japan.

And yet it only affects a small part of Fukushima Prefecture. The hype, of course, affects much more.

ebisen

They are all going to dance the dance when the very active Sakurajima goes Boooom!!!

A volcano which is not beside the Sendai Plant...

0 ( +0 / -0 )

The volcano is less than 40km from Satsumasendai.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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