Workers in Japan protest nuclear plant

The Executive Committee for the 50th International Antiwar Assembly in Japan has issued an official call for the annual anti-war assembly in that country on Aug. 5. The following are excerpts from a recent communique from the committee.

Protesters in Tokyo denounce decision to reopen nuclear plants, June 29.

“Here in Japan, people’s protests against Japan’s nuclear development and the U.S.-Japan military alliance are growing. Although the Fukushima disaster has not been settled, the government decided to resume the operation of nuclear plants.

“Inexcusably, the [Yoshihiko] Noda government of Japan has set out to restart a nuclear plant (the Oi plant in Fukui Prefecture), trampling on the painful cries of victims of the Fukushima nuclear disaster and the fierce outcry of the toiling masses against the restart.

“The announcement of the government that ‘the Fukushima nuclear accident is settled’ is a complete lie. Prime Minister Noda has reiterated it in order to justify the restart of nuclear plants. Reactors 1, 2 and 3 at the Fukushima No.1 nuclear plant are in imminent danger of the resumption of criticality even with a massive amount of coolant water poured onto the heated nuclear fuels in the reactors.”