Noda, tear down this ‘nuclear village’

Japan Times Online
Tuesday, Oct. 18, 2011
HOTLINE TO NAGATACHO

Dear Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda,
The Great East Japan Earthquake was a catastrophe of apocalyptic proportions. While the quake and tsunami did tremendous damage to Tohoku, the triple meltdowns at the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear plant did even more harm to the country by threatening the health of the population, weakening Japan’s economy, and tarnishing Japan’s reputation as an efficient and safe country.

However, the disaster also represents a once-in-a-lifetime chance for Japan to reinvent itself.

Looking at the damage wrought by Fukushima No. 1, it is clear that Japan must eliminate nuclear power. Japan has too many earthquakes and tsunamis to operate nuclear plants safely. However, the most important reasons to eliminate nuclear power in Japan are human, not geological. Foremost among these human factors is Japan’s peculiar industrial-bureaucratic partnership.

The following is a brief list of reasons why nuclear power plants cannot be operated safely in Japan.