Local Residents Split over Kashiwazaki-Kariwa Reactor Restart

Niigata, Jan. 21 (Jiji Press)–People living near Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings Inc.’s Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear power station in Niigata Prefecture, central Japan, were divided in their views over the restart of a reactor at the plant Wednesday. “I think it’s a waste not to use it,” said a man in his 60s who runs a “ryokan” Japanese-style inn in the city of Kashiwazaki, one of the two municipalities hosting the power station. “Our predecessors brought (the nuclear plant) here, so we have no choice but to continue it,” he said. Regarding the one-day delay in the reactivation of the No. 6 reactor at the plant, caused by a setting error linked to control rods for suppressing nuclear fission reactions, the man said: “(TEPCO) employees are doing their best. I would like to believe so.” A company executive in his 50s, also from Kashiwazaki, expressed hopes that the reactivation of the reactor will “help increase flows of people and revitalize the local economy.” “I want it to be operated safely and securely,” he said. Meanwhile, civic groups opposing the restart gathered in front of TEPCO’s office in the city of Niigata, the capital of the prefecture, to protest. “TEPCO has explained that safety has been ensured, but I’m concerned that there could be problems that have not been revealed to prefectural residents,” Mie Kuwabara, 77, said. “It’s unacceptable to operate (the plant) without fully responding to the concerns and doubts of prefectural residents.” Plaintiffs in lawsuits filed against TEPCO following the March 2011 nuclear accident at the company’s Fukushima No. 1 nuclear plant in northeastern Japan also voiced opposition to the reactivation. “(The Kashiwazaki-Kariwa plant) should not be restarted as reconstruction is still underway in Fukushima Prefecture (following the March 2011 accident) and investigations into the cause of the accident are insufficient,” Ruiko Muto, 72, head of a group of plaintiffs, said. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]