Protest against N-plants in Tokyo-India News and Travel Times Provides India-centric and other News and Features

Thousands of anti-nuke activists and commoners assembled in Tokyo over the weekend to form a human chain around the Diet building, calling for the abolition of nuclear power plants. The protest has put more pressure on the Cabinet of Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda. Political parties and labor unions usually organized protest rallies around the Diet, in the past. But like many other rallies organized in the aftermath of the triple meltdowns that erupted in the Fukushima disaster, many non-activist citizens attended Sunday's protest. "This is really a very hot summer, but although none of the nuclear power plants of Tokyo Electric Power Co. are operating, we're not short of electricity in Tokyo," The Japan Times quoted Keiko Ochai, an author who is among the organizers of the rally, as saying. "We have to push for the halting of the Oi nuclear power plant, and need to keep the government from restarting other nuclear power plants," she said, referring to the nuclear power plant in Fukui Prefecture at which two reactors have been reactivated following safety checkups mandated in the wake of the Fukushima disaster. Some of the participants said they were attending an anti-nuclear rally for the first time. Maya Yamaguchi from Tokyo said she was concerned about the issue and wanted to hear what others were saying. She signed an antinuclear petition and wrote about it on her Facebook page, which was picked up by her friend, who invited her to join her at the rally. Inomata, from Sagamihara in Kanagawa Prefecture , now believes that many people have changed their attitudes toward anti-nuclear demonstrations. "I think more people realize that this issue concerns ourselves. It's important for us to keep raising our voice," Sagamihara said.

Anti-nuke activists form human chain in Tokyo