Court Dismisses Plea to Shut Down Nuclear Plants in Fukui

Otsu, Shiga Pref., Dec. 25 (Jiji Press)–Otsu District Court on Thursday dismissed a lawsuit filed by residents of Osaka and Shiga prefectures to shut down three Kansai Electric Power Co. nuclear plants along Wakasa Bay in Fukui Prefecture, central Japan. The court ruled that it could not recognize specific dangers posed by the No. 3 reactor at the Mihama plant, the No. 3 and No. 4 reactors at the Oi plant or the No. 1 to No. 4 reactors at the Takahama plant. The court stated that the Nuclear Regulation Authority’s rule for estimating possible seismic tremors for seismic-proof designs based on the latest scientific and technical knowledge is rational to a certain extent. The court also backed the NRA’s judgment that Kansai Electric’s measures to address the aging of the reactors meet its regulations. At a press conference in the city of Otsu, the capital of Shiga, Kenichi Ido, who leads the attorney team for the plaintiffs, said the ruling is unacceptable. The plaintiffs plan to appeal the ruling to a higher court. Meanwhile, Kansai Electric said that the ruling reflects the court’s understanding of its claims. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]