Mobs of protesters rallied across Japan to end nuclear power on Saturday, the three-month anniversary of the March 11 earthquake and tsunami that triggered a nuclear disaster that is likely to overshadow Chernobyl in terms of real impact on neighboring populations.
Traffic in some sections of Tokyo were completely paralyzed as protesters jammed streets chanting anti-nuclear slogans. Marchers called for an immediate shutdown of nuclear plants and stricter radiation checks by the government.
“Since the earthquake, I’ve realized that nuclear power is just too dangerous for use,” said Takeshi Terada, 32, a shipping worker who marched with 10 friends in Tokyo.
Protesters carried colorful banners and banged drums as they walked in orderly rows past the Economy Ministry and the head offices of Tokyo Electric Power Co., which operates the Fukushima plant. Some families even brought toddlers and dogs covered in clothing with anti-nuclear slogans.
“I’m worried about the children,” said Mika Obuchi, 45, who marched with her husband and 9-year-old daughter. “It’s not just in Fukushima, there are radiation problems even here in Tokyo.”
Some nuclear plants across the country remain shut in the wake of the disaster, putting Tokyo and other areas at severe risk of blackouts this summer. This has led to campaigns to cuts the use of lights and air conditioning. Some companies are moving computer centers to parts of Japan with more stable power supplies.
At the Fukushima plant, hundreds of workers are still struggling to bring the crippled reactors to a “cold shutdown” by early next year and end the crisis. Radiation fears have forced more than 80,000 people to evacuate from their homes around the plant.
Many more people have had to leave their homes along the northeast coast because of tsunami damage. Three months after the disasters, 90,000 are still living in temporary shelters such as school gyms and community centers.
Along the tsunami-ravaged coast Saturday, residents bowed their heads in a moment of silence at 2:46 p.m., when the earthquake struck.
Embattled Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan visited Kamaishi, a hard-hit coastal city. Kan has been under fire for his handling of the disasters and the country’s recovery plans, surviving a no-confidence vote earlier this month by promising to step down once the recovery takes hold.
Kan’s visit Saturday was seen by some as a suggestion he will attempt to prolong his tenure.
“It is not just a matter of listening to what people say at the destroyed areas. I want to incorporate what I hear into government measures,” he said.
