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Anti-nuclear protest

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Members of the Greenpeace environmental group in protective suits protest with anti-nuclear signs reading: "Stop nuclear power stations" rather than "cold shutdown" at an intersection across from the prime minister's official residence in Tokyo on Friday.

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WvxjZXjz648&feature=relmfu

Please click on the weblink listed above and refresh your memories what had happend 9 months ago in Japan. I do not have to say anything more for this topic.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

A more meaningful translation would be: Shutdown Nuclear Power rather than Cold Shutdown.

Greenpeace has such a bad name in Japan that involvement in this issue does more harm than good. I agree with Greenpeace's ideology on most issues, but they really have failed in their understanding of Japanese culture and they way they have tackled key issues here. Anti-logging is a prime example. In-your-face, and at times even violent protests are not the way to achieve things in this country (not to be confused with bullying, which is the successful method the right wing movements use). Greenpeace needs to focus more on Education of young people. Greenpeace is heading in the same direction as a lot of the big-companies that they once resented. Money money money.

I wish they would have a decent go at protesting Pet-shops, or Recycling here in Japan, because anti-Nuclear power is very debatable.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

Who needs any understanding of Japanese culture. Check the word in the dictionary.

Your culture has nothing to do with protecting the environment. Culture is in the backseat.

Human rights are above any one country's culture.

-1 ( +4 / -5 )

a cop for every protester?

4 ( +5 / -1 )

Any exactly what will be the fuel to sustain a country like Japan that has no natural resources?... gonna need a whole bunch of solar panels and windmills... lol

-3 ( +2 / -5 )

Exactly, James. Hi Tech Japan going down the nuclear road is not only ironic, it's woefully sad. What would you call; rivers, wind, sun, snow and tide if not natural resources? Seems like Japan has an abundance not none as you state.

0 ( +4 / -4 )

4 protesters. Two cops. One guy with a camera. Suggggggoi!

2 ( +4 / -2 )

Harness tidal power girls.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

I appreciate your great work. Better than nothing. LOL

2 ( +3 / -1 )

Foreign eco terrorist Greenpeace - GET OUT OFF MY NATION! My nation does not need troublemaker terrorist like in overseas nations.

-9 ( +1 / -10 )

'Occupy 4 people movement'

0 ( +1 / -1 )

I was approached yesterday by a guy that wanted me to sign an "anti-nuclear" petition.

Asked him what they propose for replacing nuclear energy, his reply renewal.

So I asked him who will pay for it when people can't afford those, he sez government subsidies and to which I said which we pay for from our taxes not so.

Told him to work up a realistic plan and than contact me again. Lots of nods all-around as the conversation was overheard of course.

Honestly been getting tired of people that are anti-X, anti-Y but got no clue as to do without or can come up with better alternatives besides lip-service and saying we are against.

Sad to say we see it often on JT too.

-4 ( +2 / -6 )

Subway to and back home? Hypocrites.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

Good to see Greenpeace protesting about something that matters, rather than just mindlessly fund-raising.

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

K75,

how do you know their nationality, they might all be Japanese oh the HORROR!

2 ( +2 / -0 )

@ spudmanreincarnated ... i noticed that you did not mention which fuel source would take the place of Nuclear powers.. if the rivers and snow you mentioned could replace Nuke power... then Japan would already have done that many many years ago

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

spudmanreincarnatedDec. 17, 2011 - 12:43PM JST

Exactly, James. Hi Tech Japan going down the nuclear road is not only ironic, it's woefully sad. What would you call; rivers, wind, sun, snow and tide if not natural resources? Seems like Japan has an abundance not none as you state.

How on earth do you expect snow to provide power? Yesterday, in non-sunny Yamagata, after a short snow-shower, the two houses I could see with panels on them had aforesaid panels covered in snow - whilst the roofs themselves were clear!

As for solar and wind in general - costly and requiring massive amounts of land. Rivers - not a lot of extra hydroelectric potential, tide - unproven.

Snow could, however, be used for refrigeration - cutting power use in snowy areas (we used snow this way during the power cuts after March 11th)

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Star-viking.

Snow is water that is stored in the mountains to melt when things warm up, water is potential energy. Snow country is the western side of Japan, the East has high sunshine hours, all year round. Tidal not proven, yet. It could be proven with concentrated effort. Wind requiring land, how about the 20km circle that cant be used for the next few centuries in Fukushima? Not used for anything,never. Nuclear uses a lot more land when it goes to custard than wind generation could ever do. Power generation needs to be localized according to demand and resources, not a one method only thinking. Certainly not a fossil or nuclear source for long term survival.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

JT

if the rivers and snow you mentioned could replace Nuke power... then Japan would already have done that many many years ago

Obviously not, cause it took the easy short sighted nuke option. Would you also say that if Japan could make nuclear power generation safe it would have already, many many years ago? Japan inc has majorly dropped the ball.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

'Green'peace wearing white with yellow signs. Hmmmm...colorful.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

I wish they would have a decent go at protesting Pet-shops, or Recycling here in Japan, because anti-Nuclear power is very debatable.

Please elaborate about the pet-shops and recycling.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

spudman Dec. 17, 2011 - 11:46PM JST

Star-viking.

Snow is water that is stored in the mountains to melt when things warm up, water is potential energy.

I know that, but it's pretty inaccurate to call snow an energy source - how do you propose to harvest this energy? Add extra turbines in rivers just for the snow-melt season?

Snow country is the western side of Japan, the East has high sunshine hours, all year round. Tidal not proven, yet. It could be proven with concentrated effort.

Then again, it might prove impossible or uneconomic.

Wind requiring land, how about the 20km circle that cant be used for the next few centuries in Fukushima? Not used for anything,never.

The question would be - is the exclusion zone useful for wind turbines? Also, is it big enough? For each watt produced by a turbine you need half a square meter. If you do the math you find that area will provide a peak power of around 2.5 GW, if it is ideal for turbines - but with the intermittency of the wind we'd be looking at an average of half a gigawatt - a ninth of the Dai-ichi generation.

As for the duration of the exclusion zone - I'll wait for the experts to report on that, not Greenpeace.

Nuclear uses a lot more land when it goes to custard than wind generation could ever do. Power generation needs to be localized according to demand and resources, not a one method only thinking. Certainly not a fossil or nuclear source for long term survival.

As you can see, wind still needs a lot more land, though it can be used for other purposes too. Wind also needs power storage, which most people forget.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Nuclear energy is the safe, clean, efficient and environmentally friendly energy choice of the future. Approval is being given for new plants to be built in the US, and we will be setting up the PR machine to convince the public in Japan to stay quiet once the LDP is back in power and we can move forward with our profit driven agenda. Hopefully once the LDP is back in power it will issue a pronouncement that nuclear power is necessary for national security, and thus and protests against it will be in direct violation of national security and punishable as such.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

j4p4nFTWDec. 26, 2011 - 11:24AM JST

Approval is being given for new plants to be built in the US

Apparently, you are not well informed. Nuke plant plans have been rejected by many US citizens from left to right. One of the plant near my city went down too. Your comment is just a wishful thinking. LOL

0 ( +0 / -0 )

j4p4nFTWDec. 26, 2011 - 11:24AM JST

nuclear power is necessary for national security, and thus and protests against it will be in direct violation of national security and punishable as such.

Then what about people against TPP? Are they violating a national security of Japan? Should they be punished? What about a right to assemble in public places? What about a freedom of speech?

I would like to read your response for this matter. No joke.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

@globalwatcher,

Thank you for your comments and replies. I think it is important that we have a frank discussion of these issues in a forum such as this one so that we can come to a mutual understanding and acceptance of my correct positions. In the case at hand, TPP is not connected. Also, you will see approval of a new nuclear power plant to be built in the United States very soon. Toshiba is putting things back on track for the shareholders.

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

I think it is important that we have a frank discussion of these issues in a forum such as this one so that we can come to a mutual understanding and acceptance of my correct positions.

j4p4nFTWDec. 26, 2011 - 05:20PM JST

What are correct positions? I am not asking these questions. Be specific, please.

This is a classic Japanesenglish double-talk response and frustrates many of us. You are not responding to my questions which are challenging to your intellectural value mind set. Do you believe in a freedom of speech? Does anyone has a right to challenge government by raising questions? What do you think about a right to assemble in public places?

Please stay on the course and be specific, please. I am interested in reading your posts.

Also, you will see approval of a new nuclear power plant to be built in the United States very soon.

Obama is having uphill battle on this.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

I need to add more here, j4p4nFTW.

My state alone which is three time bigger than Japan has a 300 years of supply of coal (clean light coal) for whole USA and Obama is now shifting the "Green Energy" policy to wind and solar technologies. Plus we are in process of digging more natural gas in many parts of US. What had happend to Shinkansen deal to USA? Did it work? Nahh..We do not want Toshiba Nuke technology here.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

once the LDP is back in power it will issue a pronouncement that nuclear power is necessary for national security,

It's true that majority of LDP lawmakers are pro-nuke. However after 3.11 with Fukushima nuke plants disaster, even Tanigaki said, "Under the current situation, it is difficult to promote nuclear power generation." Taro Kono, one of a few anti-nuclear lawmakers in the LDP, has been saying, "From the beginning, the claim that nuclear power generation is safe has been a fairy tale. The LDP received money from electric power companies and established a system that made it easy for the government to provide subsidies to municipalities that accepted the construction of nuclear power plants. Electric power companies offered research funds to universities, thus producing scholars who will support them.Media companies also eased their criticism against nuclear power generation because they were receiving huge amounts of advertising money from electric power companies,"

http://www.asahi.com/english/TKY201105050089.html

Maybe media companies are controlled, but people can get lots of information through internet. People are a lot more sensitive toward nuclear power than ever before. It's not easy for LDP to promote nuke again.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Blair, thanks again. I read all posts very carefully.

LDP lawmakers regroup to promote nuclear power

The article listed above is a very interesting topic. If LDP has a wishful thinking of exporting Toshiba Nuke to USA, they are just wasting R&D money for no buyers here just like a failure of Shinkansen deal.

Unlike Japan, we are very aggressive in installing solar panels to our houses with tax break incentives. Many farmers/ranchers are installing wind mills with tax incentives on their land to generate electricity. They are selling the surplus to local utility companies for a profit while they continue farming and ranching. The systems are already in place and well executed here..

Therefore, j4p4nFTWDec. 26, 2011 - 11:24AM JST claim listed below does not fly. FAILED!!

you will see approval of a new nuclear power plant to be built in the United States very soon. Toshiba is putting things back on track for the shareholders

By the way, American investors are all aware of this changes and investing a lot in Natural gas, solar and windmill industries. FYI

1 ( +1 / -0 )

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