The new Japanese Greens

July 29, 2012

Green party launched in Japan to oppose nuclear energy

http://mainichi.jp/english/english/newsselect/news/20120729p2g00m0dm037000c.html

TOKYO (Kyodo) -- A Japanese civic group held an inaugural meeting of a green party Saturday in Tokyo with an aim to field candidates in national elections on the environmental platform including opposition to nuclear energy.

As a political organization, which has not met legal requirements as a political party, Greens Japan will seek cooperation with other civic groups and local parties for the time being, while making arrangements with an eye on the next House of Representatives election and next summer's House of Councillors election, it said.

Comprising about 70 members such as citizens and local assembly members, the group intends to model its political activities after green parties in Europe, which have strong influence in environmental policy-making.

Its platform features swiftly breaking away from nuclear power generation and introducing renewable energy, the group said.

"As the ruling Democratic Party of Japan and the largest opposition Liberal Democratic Party have both approved the restart of nuclear reactors, voters are deprived of the option to realize the stance 'breakaway from nuclear power and objection to the resumption'," said Akira Miyabe, the group's 59-year-old deputy head.

"A party that strongly pursues environmental policies is needed," he said.