Safety more important than before - "A strong message to judges"

September 1, 2012

Judges hold rethink on nuke safety

Kyodo

http://www.japantimes.co.jp/text/nn20120901a2.html

The Fukushima nuclear crisis has judges nationwide calling for in-depth safety analyses in legal cases involving atomic plants, it was learned Thursday.

According to internal documents obtained by an information disclosure request, five of seven judges who submitted proposals at a study meeting on nuclear issues hosted by the Supreme Court pointed to the need to examine safety more thoroughly than before. The meeting was held from Jan. 26 to 27 and was attended by 35 judges.

Courts have routinely rejected appeals made in cases involving nuclear plants, but now they are debating whether the government itself is taking appropriate safety procedures.

The Supreme Court explained that the purpose of the study meeting was to enhance the knowledge and skills of the judges and that the discussion did not have a binding effect on each judge's decisions.

But lawyer Hiroyuki Kawai, who has represented clients involved in lawsuits against nuclear plants, said the fact that the Supreme Court held a meeting to study the issue is sending a strong message to judges.

Kawai said. "The opinions of the judges clearly show that their reliance on regulators and bureaucrats is losing ground."