Published: July 27th, 2012 at 1:59 pm ET
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Title: Political Clout of Japan’s Anti-Nuke Movement Tested
Source: Wall Street Journal
Author: By YUKA HAYASHI And TOKO SEKIGUCHI
Date: July 27, 2012
Two events Sunday will test the political influence of Japan’s growing anti-nuclear power movement: a regional election featuring one of the country’s most prominent industry critics, and a 1960s-style surround-the-parliament protest aimed at evoking memories of past mass demonstrations.[...]
Protest rallies seem to have grown in size every week despite Tokyo’s hot and wet early summer weather.
[...]
The rallies have been peaceful with many families with children participating. A police spokesman said he wasn’t aware of any rally-related arrests this year.
The next large gathering is scheduled for Sunday, where the protesters plan to form a human chain encircling the Parliament building, holding candles.
[...]
Some analysts said the anti-nuclear movement could gain traction if it blends with other issues, and taps into a broader popular disaffection.
[...]
Eiji Oguma, a professor of policy management at Keio University
- “What stands out about these rallies is there are so many people in their 30s and 40s—men without suits and women without children”
- “They are really the reflection of the changes that have taken place in the Japanese society”
Heizo Takenaka, director of Keio University’s Global Security Research Institute and former state minister
- “People used to say Japan would never have a phenomenon similar to the Jasmine Revolution in the Middle East or the Occupy Wall Street movement in the U.S.”
- “We have one now”
- “This is going to have a huge impact”
Tetsunari Iida, Candidate for governor of Yamaguchi
- [He] spent his early professional years in the nuclear
industry, then left to become one of its most vocal opponents, founding
an alternative energy think tank.- Mr. Iida’s media exposure intensified
after last year’s Fukushima disaster, and when Osaka’s Mr. Hashimoto
tapped him to be his energy advisor.- He has said he wants Japan to be rid of
nuclear power by 2030, and his platform centers around opposition to
planned construction of a local nuclear plant in Kaminoseki.
Published: July 27th, 2012 at 1:59 pm ET
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Time to start doing this in other countries, because one accident at one nuclear plant ruins so much, forever.
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Is this disaster worse than a "High Smog or Sun Exposure TV & US government Alert Day?" When our President refuses its existence, and lets us all take silent fallout, many times worse than many "Terrorist Dirty Bombs", what do you expect! We have a total blackout of this. No travelers warning of continuing fallout from Reactors #1,2,3 on the US State Department's website! No pullout of military families from a Nuclear Disaster Zone! NEWS~ 10,000+ US soldiers & their families in Japan, many stationed on Honshu! Honshu, site of Fukushima, with their families! American women & children all taking silent fallout. I saw Romney's stance, he too is for building more reactors! Without our own protesters in Washington on Obama's doorstep, we will never see change!
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Hear, hear.
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hear hear
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Occupy.
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