Tag Archives: japan

Double trouble for nuclear power: UK and Bulgaria projects collapse

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Blogpost by Justin McKeating, Greenpeace International

Occupation of a watch tower on the Belene site with the mothballed construction in the background that was stopped in 1992 and was to be torn down completely in 2009. - (c) Greenpeace / Prochazka

Occupation of a watch tower on the Belene site with the mothballed construction in the background that was stopped in 1992 and was to be torn down completely in 2009. - (c) Greenpeace / Prochazka

Yet more news in the past week about how bad an investment nuclear power is. In Bulgaria a plan to build a nuclear power plant was cancelled while in the UK plans to build two new plants were thrown into chaos.

First, on March 28, the Bulgarian government announced it was cancelling the Belene nuclear power plant, construction of which began way back in 1981. This brings to a successful close10 years of resistance to this bad idea. There were death threats against one of the key activists, Albena Simeonova, legal actions, and the involvement of hundreds of activists, volunteers, citizens, experts, politicians and civil servants.

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Fifty-three reactors down, one to go: Japan may have a nuclear-free summer

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Blogpost by Justin McKeating

Japan is almost completely free of nuclear power now, after the shutdown on March 26, 2012 of the Number 6 reactor at the country’s Kashiwasaki-Kariwa nuclear power plant. No nuclear reactors are now operational on the Japanese mainland. When scheduled maintenance closes the Number 3 Tomari reactor on the island of Hokkaido on May 5 2012, all of Japan’s 54 reactors will be out of action. The country will be nuclear-free for the first time since 1966. Continue reading →

Message to world leaders: Fukushima is a reminder; end the threat of nuclear power

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Blogpost by Mareike Britten

More than 50 organisations and individuals from around the world have joined forces with Greenpeace and called for investments in safe, renewable energy in order to end the threat of nuclear power. That message is in the form of an open letter being delivered to world leaders following the first anniversary as a reminder that the Fukushima nuclear disaster must be seen for what it is: another overwhelming piece of evidence that nuclear energy can never be safe and must be phased out.

Jakarta: Protest to highlight dangers of nuclear reactors Continue reading →

Fukushima, One Year After…

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Blogpost by Kumi Naidoo

Day of Action- Indonesia

Fukushima. Greenpeace activists during the Global Day of action to commemorate the first anniversary of the Fukushima nuclear disaster.

Today our thoughts are once more with the people of Japan; our condolences are with those who lost their loved ones and our admiration is with those who are valiantly rebuilding their lives and communities one year after the earthquake and tsunami. We wish them continued strength.

In remembering the terrible consequences of natures full force through an earth quake and tsunami it is also important that we do not allow the accompanying nuclear crises to be painted as a natural disaster: it was man made! Continue reading →

Are you at risk of a nuclear accident? Greenpeace map shows millions are

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Blogpost by Justin McKeating

ARE YOU AT RISK?

More than 400 nuclear reactors operate around the world right now. There’s a very good chance that you, your family or your friends live close enough to one to be directly affected by a disaster like the one that happened at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant on March 11, 2011.

We have developed a new interactive map of the world so you can see how close you and your friends are to one of the world’s nuclear reactors. Hundreds of millions of people live in areas that could be heavily contaminated by a nuclear disaster. The map, with data from Nature magazine (1), works with Facebook and Twitter; you can alert others to the risks. Continue reading →

Greenpeace climbers bring messages of support for Japanese to summit of Mt Fuji

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Blogpost by Monica

I’m one of an international group of activists who met in Japan three days ago to climb Mt. Fuji, as a way to remember the nuclear disaster that happened in Fukushima last year.

The goal of the climb was to show support for the people who were affected by the disaster and to bring awareness to the danger of nuclear energy. We had messages of solemn remembrance, support and hope for the Japanese people from around the world to carry to the summit. Continue reading →

Lessons from Fukushima: New Greenpeace Report A Warning On Nuclear Risks

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I will never forget the sleepless nights that began for me on March 11, 2011, endless hours organizing the Greenpeace response to the Fukushima nuclear disaster.

While looking for any piece of information that could give better clues to what was really happening at the Fukushima nuclear power plant, my mind was in Japan. I worried about everyone in the country but of course most of all those immediately affected by the tsunami. And I could not stop thinking about the heroic efforts of plant work-ers who risked their lives and fought against time to avoid the worst-case situation under which we knew even Tokyo would have to evacuate. Continue reading →

Silence and contamination, legacies of the Fukushima nuclear disaster

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Cross-posted by Laura Kenyon, Greenpeace International

Nearly a year after Japan’s Fukushima nuclear disaster, it’s time to take a look at its legacy and take an opportunity to stand in solidarity with the people who continue to suffer the impacts. We’re calling for a nuclear free, renewable future and asking you to join us in sending messages of support and hope to Japan.

The silence and contamination left behind by the Fukushima disaster  have been captured in the online photographic exhibit Shadowlands by photographer Robert Knoth. Robert’s haunting photographs of empty villages, deserted schoolyards, and abandoned farmlands not only act as a chilling reminder to us of the costs of nuclear energy, but an impetus to continue demanding a future free from nuclear risk. Continue reading →

Never waste a crisis

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Blogpost by Greg McNevin - February 10, 2012 at 10:00

Greenpeace Japan activists and volunteers join the public on the 'Energy Revolution' parade through the streets of downtown Tokyo to mark the 6 month anniversary of the Tohoku earthquake, resulting tsunami and the nuclear disaster at Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant. © Jeremy Sutton-Hibbert / Greenpeace

Or so the saying goes, and Japan has been in crisis mode for much of the last year. That said, while radioactive contamination fears remain, and economic downturn is causing some pain, you could be forgiven for thinking that the impact of the March 11, 2011 triple-disaster on the country has been negligible. Life seemingly rolls on as normal. Continue reading →

Security breaches, radiation leaks, disasters; Nothing worries the nuclear industry

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By: Justin McKeating

One of the many odd qualities of the nuclear industry is its seemingly boundless optimism: “everything’s going to be just fine, folks.”

Apparently, there’s no need to worry about terrorists attacking nuclear reactors. Which is why Greenpeace activists could peacefully walk into two French nuclear power plants – Nogent-sur-Seine and Cruas – this morning without being challenged by any security measures whatsoever should be absolutely no cause for alarm, according to the authorities. The two activists who entered the Cruas plant were able to avoid detection for 14 hours. Our team that entered the Nogent-sur-Seine power plant, just 95 kilometres from Paris, were even able to scale the dome of one of the reactors and paint a pretty picture on it.

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