Thousands of anti-nuke protesters surround Japanese parliament

DHAKA: Thousands of people formed a human chain around Japan’s parliament complex on Sunday to demand the government abandon nuclear power.

This is the latest in a series of peaceful demonstrations on a scale not seen in the nation for decades, reports The Straits Times.

Also on Sunday, voters went to the polls in a closely watched election for governor of southwestern Yamaguchi prefecture, where an outspoken anti-nuclear candidate was running.

Japanese media reported his loss late Sunday, citing exit polls, although official results had not been tallied.

Protesters said they were angry the government restarted two reactors earlier this month despite safety worries after the multiple meltdowns at the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear plant in March last year.

The reactors were the first to return to operation since May, when the last of Japan’s 50 working reactors went offline for routine checks.

Banging on drums and waving balloons and banners, protesters marched from a Tokyo park and lined up along the streets around the parliament building chanting, ‘Saikado hantai’, or ‘No to restarts’, and later lit candles.

BDST: 2117 HRS, JUL 29, 2012

Edited by Robab Rosan, Cultural Affairs Editor