Antinuclear mayors want abolition of atomic power included in new basic energy plan

A group of current and former mayors pushing for a nuclear-free Japan held its inaugural meeting Saturday in Tokyo.

At the meeting, the group adopted a resolution urging the central government to incorporate the goal of completely eliminating nuclear power in its new basic energy plan, to be compiled this summer.

The roughly 70 members of the group either served as mayors, or are currently in office, in 35 of the nation's 47 prefectures.

Around 20 of them attended the meeting, including Minamisoma Mayor Katsunobu Sakurai from Fukushima Prefecture, who has experienced the nuclear crisis firsthand.

Former Fukushima Gov. Eisaku Sato, an adviser to the group, criticized the country's traditional nuclear policy and accused the government of promoting atomic energy regardless of the safety risks involved.