JAPAN: Anti-nuclear campaigners take to the streets of Tokyo with Geiger counters to protest against nuclear power

Record ID: 466119

  • Title: JAPAN: Anti-nuclear campaigners take to the streets of Tokyo with Geiger counters to protest against nuclear power
  • Date: 5th March 2012
  • Summary: TOKYO, JAPAN (MARCH 4, 2012) (REUTERS) PROTESTER ON STILTS WEARING MASK IN FORM OF LOGO OF FUKUSHIMA DAIICHI NUCLEAR PLANT OPERATOR TOKYO ELECTRIC POWER COMPANY (TEPCO) AND WEARING BANNER READING IN ENGLISH "TERROR" PROTESTERS IN WHITE BIOHAZARD SUITS MARCHING ACROSS PEDESTRIAN CROSSING PROTESTER MARCHING WITH GEIGER COUNTER MORE OF PROTESTER ON STILTS PROTESTERS MARCHING (SOUNDBITE) (Japanese) 38-YEAR-OLD PROTESTER AKIO MIYAKE, SAYING: "We're measuring radiation levels in the city while we march -- I was really interested to see how high they are, that's why I turned up." MAN HOLDING RUSSIAN DOLL WITH WRITING ON IT READING IN ENGLISH "NO NUKES" AND SAYING IN ENGLISH "NO NUKE KISS" MORE OF PROTESTERS MARCHING PROTESTER HOLDING GEIGER COUNTER MORE OF PROTESTERS MARCHING MORE OF PROTESTER ON STILTS WITH TEPCO MASK MORE OF PROTESTERS MARCHING (SOUNDBITE) (Japanese) 28-YEAR-OLD PROTESTER WHO DECLINED TO BE NAMED, SAYING: "It seems like everyone's forgotten about Fukushima, so the reason we've dressed up like this is we're trying to remind them that the nuclear crisis is still going on." MORE OF PROTESTER MARCHING WITH GEIGER COUNTER PEOPLE WATCHING PROTESTERS IN STREET PROTESTERS MARCHING AND PROTEST ORGANISER MIHO WATANABE HOLDING PLACARD READING IN JAPANESE "Radiation level monitoring in progress" (SOUNDBITE) (Japanese) MIHO WATANABE, PROTEST ORGANISER, SAYING: "There are lots of Japanese people who feel a bit embarrassed shouting slogans on normal protest marches. So coming to this sort of demonstration's a bit more relaxed for them." PLACARD READING IN JAPANESE 'RADIATION LEVEL MONITORING IN PROGRESS" CALCULATOR ATTACHED TO PLACARD WITH SIMULATED "RADIATION LEVEL" PROTESTER HOLDING PLACARD
  • Embargoed: 20th March 2012 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Japan, Japan
  • Country: Japan
  • Topics: Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA1XYXYL8YYH80HNJCCZJMYZAHT
  • Story Text: Anti-nuclear protesters took their Geiger counters to the streets of Tokyo on Sunday (March 4), one year after a devastating earthquake and tsunami caused the world's worst nuclear disaster in 25 years.
    Around 30 campaigners, some in biohazard suits and carrying Geiger counters, marched 3 kilometres (2 miles) through the centre of the Japanese capital to protest against nuclear power.
    "We're measuring radiation levels in the city while we march -- I was really interested to see how high they are, that's why I turned up," said 38-year-old protester Akio Miyake.
    "It seems like everyone's forgotten about Fukushima, so the reason we've dressed up like this is we're trying to remind them that the nuclear crisis is still going on," another campaigner, who declined to give her name, told Reuters.
    The protest was organised by "art performance" group Gloomy Sunday, who in previous outings arranged a mock funeral for nuclear power and a silent anti-nuclear march.
    "There are lots of Japanese people who feel a bit embarrassed shouting slogans on normal protest marches. So coming to this sort of demonstration's a bit more relaxed for them," organiser Miho Watanabe said.
    Only two of Japan's 54 reactors are still operating amid safety concerns, after the March 11 earthquake and tsunami triggered a radiation crisis at Tokyo Electric Power Co's Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant, leading to widespread contamination and mass evacuations.
    On Thursday (March 1) Japan's trade minister said it was possible none of the country's reactors could be on line when electricity usage peaks over the summer, with the remaining two reactors slated to close by early May for maintenance.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2012. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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