While Japan mourned on the first anniversary of the Tohoku disaster last Sunday, many people all over Japan also turned their sorrow into protest. At least 20,000 antinuclear protesters took to the parks and streets of the country to show their resolve against nuclear power. As the government mulls restarting the country's nuclear reactors, the voices of the people are increasingly being heard on the issue of Japan's future energy policy.
Protesters targeted the main office of Tokyo Electric Power Co. (Tepco), whose officials have yet to be held accountable for the disastrous management of the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant before and after the March 11 earthquake and tsunami. Protest marches also took place in Fukushima, Shizuoka, Fukui, Aomori and other areas of Japan.
Needless to say, antinuclear protests took place in Hiroshima and Nagasaki last Sunday, following previous ones in those cities. Protesters outside the office of the Ministry of Economics, Trade and Industry have kept their "Occupy METI" vigil going. Citizens' groups have continued to file an increasing number of anti-nuclear power lawsuits. The largest suit in Saga, which aims at halting the Genkai nuclear power plant, has drawn a record number of plaintiffs, more than 3,000.