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Tens of thousands protest Japanese PM’s plans to restart nuclear reactors

Saturday, 26 March 2016 8:54 PM [ Last Update: Sunday, 27 March 2016 1:20 AM ]

A protester holds a placard saying "No, Abe administration" during an anti-nuclear demonstration rally in front of the Diet building in Tokyo on March 11, 2016. (AFP)

All but three of Japan’s 43 operational nuclear reactors have been offline since the Fukushima nuclear disaster in 2011. Along with Japanese utility companies, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is campaigning to restart several of the dormant plants. On Friday some 30,000 anti-nuclear protesters gathered in Tokyo's Yoyogi Park to urge Abe to halt his plans.

On March 11, 2011, a huge tsunami caused by a nine-magnitude earthquake wreaked heavy damage on the Fukushima nuclear plant’s cooling systems that led to three meltdowns and release of vast amounts of radiation into the surrounding environment.

The incident, considered the world’s worst nuclear accident since the Chernobyl nuclear disaster in 1986, also prompted the evacuation of 160,000 people from areas near the power plant.

Buddhist monks pray for victims of the massive earthquake and tsunami disaster which hit northeastern Japan in 2011 in front of former municipal disaster prevention center building in the town of Minamisanriku, Miyagi prefecture on March 11, 2016. (AFP)

Despite the concerns of Japan’s population over restarting the reactors, Japan’s leader has called for the reopening of several of the plants that meet new safety regulations implemented after the catastrophic event.

Earlier in the month, on the anniversary of the incident, similar protests were held in front of Tokyo’s National Diet Building.

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