A Japanese high court ruled Wednesday that two nuclear reactors at a Fukui Prefecture plant should not suspend operations, overturning a lower court ruling in favor of local residents who claim the plant is vulnerable to major earthquakes and other disasters.
The Kanazawa Branch of the Nagoya High Court ruled that the No. 3 and No. 4 reactors of Kansai Electric Power Co.'s Oi plant do not threaten the personal rights of those living nearby and the utility firm has not underestimated the size of a potential earthquake in the area.
It follows the Fukui District Court ruling in May 2014 against their restart, the first such ruling over nuclear power plants since the Fukushima nuclear crisis in March 2011. It is the first high court ruling given among a slew of lawsuits filed by people seeking suspension of nuclear reactors nationwide.