Ohi neighbours against a restart

April 19, 2012

Survey shows mixed reaction to restarting reactor

http://www3.nhk.or.jp/daily/english/20120419_30.html

An NHK survey indicates that over half of the residents in Ohi town in Fukui Prefecture support the government's plan to restart 2 idle nuclear reactors there, while one-third in neighboring areas support it.

The telephone survey last weekend asked local residents as well as people living in 4 neighboring municipalities about the plan to restart the Ohi plant reactors operated by Kansai Electric Power Company.

In Ohi town, 54 percent of people support the government's plan, while 37 percent oppose the plan.

Support among people living in neighboring towns and cities was much lower, with 32 percent of them saying they support the government plan. 60 percent in the neighboring areas oppose the restart.

Asked whether they worry about the possibility of the restarted reactors causing a severe accident resulting in a release of radiation into the environment, 71 percent of locals said yes, and so did 84 percent of their neighbors.

The survey also asked whether the government has done a good job explaining to local people and the public in general about the safety of restarting the reactors.

Only 29 percent of local residents and 19 percent of their neighbors said yes.