Japan reactivated a nuclear reactor for the first time in almost two years on Tuesday, contrary to the feelings of many members of a public still troubled by the 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster.
While dozens of protestors gathered in front of the prime minister's office in Tokyo as the Sendai-1 reactor was restarted, many more congregated in front of the Sendai plant in the city of Satsumasendai, Kagoshima Prefecture.
'The accident at the Fukushima plant is not over,' Honami Fujita, a 50-year-old housewife from Kanagawa Prefecture near Tokyo, told Kyodo news agency.
'Who would take responsibility if an accident like Fukushima happens again?'
Japan began shutting its 48 nuclear power plants after the Great East Japan earthquake and tsunami of March 11, 2011, damaged four reactors in Fukushima, melting the cores in three of them and forcing thousands of people to leave their homes, most of whom have been able to return.
More than four years later, some areas near the plant are still uninhabitable, and more than 110,000 people continue to live as evacuees in and outside ofFukushima.
All of the reactors have remained offline since 2013, and Japan has reformed its safety rules to create a new regulatory body tasked with insuring that reactors that do come back on line comply with new safety restrictions gleaned from what has been learned of the disaster.
Last September, the body - the Nuclear Regulation Authority (NRA) - said that two reactors at the Sendai-1 reactor - owned by the Kyushu Electric Power Co. - had met the government’s stricter regulations and were ready for a restart.
Although it has taken fully a year from September, the permission was granted to the time Sendai-1 actually begins producing electricity.
A July news poll for the Kyodo showed that nearly six people out of 10 in the country oppose the restart of nuclear plants.
Despite the NRA's seal of approval for Sendai-1, critics say there are many unanswered questions, especially concerning the many active volcanos near the Sendai plant site. Another issue is how people living within the 30 kilometers of the plants could be evacuated.
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, however, disagrees. He argues that nuclear power is necessary for lowering electricity prices and shoring up the economy.
Just after the reactor was started at Kyushu Electric Power Co.'s Sendai complex, located on the southwestern main island of Kyushu, at 10.30 a.m. (0230GMT), Trade and Industry Minister Yoichi Miyazawa told reporters that 'the steady process of restarting idled nuclear plants is necessary for sound economic growth and the stability of people's lives.'
Kyodo reported that the reactor is expected to reach criticality Tuesday night, with the utility planning to start generating and delivering electricity by Friday.
The government has said it is aiming to have 20-22 percent of Japan's total electricity supply generated from nuclear power in 2030.
Prior to the Fukushima crisis, nuclear power contributed 30 percent.
Sendai's No. 2 is likely to resume in October and the NRA has conditionally approved two other plant sites for restart, Takahama 3-4, owned by the Kansai Electric Power Co., and the Ikeda reactors owned by the Shikoku Electric Power Co.
A court in April, however, banned the Kansai reactor restart following safety concerns.
Some 25 reactors at 15 plant sites units are also awaiting the NRA’s safety approval decision.
Miyazawa said Tuesday that 'In the event of an accident, the government will deal with it with responsibility.'
By Todd Crowell
Anadolu Agency
enerji@aa.com.tr