Japan relaunches nuclear reactors

On July 1, Japan launched the first nuclear reactors after the disaster at Fukushima-1 nuclear power plant, which was stricken by the devastating earthquake of March 11 last year.

The third and the fourth power units of Ooi nuclear power plant in the province of Fukui resumed their work the Associated Press reports.

The decisions about the restart of the nuclear power plant was taken in mid-June at a meeting of Japanese Prime Minister Yosihiko Noda with the head of Fukui Prefecture Issei Nishikawa. The Prime Minister came to the conclusion that if Japan did not resume the use of nuclear energy, then the country would have to face the threat of power outages. This, in turn, may negatively affect the state of the economy.

A few dozen protesters gathered near the entrance to the plant demanding the rejection of the use of nuclear energy. People were chanting the slogan "No to nuclear reset" and demanding the resignation of the sitting Prime Minister.

A large demonstration was held in Tokyo on June 29 in front of the Prime Minister's office. The demonstration was held against the resumption of nuclear power plants in the country, Rosbalt said. The meeting was organized by the Tokyo coalition against nuclear power plants. Spokespeople for the coalition said that tens of thousands of people gathered for the demonstration, the participants of which marched through the city center with drums and loudspeakers shouting slogans to abandon nuclear energy.