Koizumi & Hosokawa call for nuclear-free Japan

September 30, 2014

Ex-prime ministers call for nuclear-free Japan in rock festival

http://mainichi.jp/english/english/newsselect/news/20140930p2g00m0dm042000c.html

TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Two former prime ministers who have become antinuclear campaigners in the wake of the 2011 Fukushima crisis joined a rock festival event in Tokyo on Monday that brought together musicians opposed to nuclear power.

"We must create a country where nuclear power generation is zero. Let's develop our country without nuclear power," Junichiro Koizumi, a charismatic former leader, shouted from the stage in front of about 2,500 people and received applause.

Koizumi also told reporters later that an "unexpected event could happen anytime" at nuclear power plants in Japan, touching on the recent volcanic eruption of Mt. Ontake in central Japan, which occurred without warning signs and killed a number of climbers.

"In Japan, earthquakes, tsunami and volcanic eruptions could occur in various locations. It's a country not allowed to have nuclear power plants," he said.

Morihiro Hosokawa, another former prime minister, said he felt hope in antinuclear campaigning as he saw the eyes of youths at the festival "twinkling."

The rock event, organized by renowned Japanese musician Ryuichi Sakamoto, has been held annually since 2012.

Meanwhile, Koizumi and Hosokawa denied having intention to become involved in the Oct. 26 gubernatorial election in Fukushima Prefecture, home to the crisis-hit Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant operated by Tokyo Electric Power Co.

"People recognize (the importance of) breaking away from nuclear power. It will not be an issue that will be contested (in the election)," Hosokawa said.

All of the 48 commercial reactors in Japan are currently offline, but the government is pushing for the resumption of reactors that have cleared a set of new safety requirements introduced in the wake of the Fukushima accident.

September 30, 2014(Mainichi Japan)