TOKYOMay/June 2006 NUKECitizens' Nuclear INFO Information Center No. 112 3F Kotobuki Bldg., 1-58-15, Higashi-nakano, Nakano-ku, Tokyo 164-0003, JAPAN URL: http://cnic.jp/english/ e-mail :
[email protected] Shika-2 Verdict Demands Suspension of Operations Reactor Cannot Withstand an Earthquake as an individual and my environmental right, in order to prevent this harm, I demand that operations be suspended." There is a history behind this case. In 1988, 100 plaintiffs lodged a case against the Shika-1 reactor (540 MW BWR). Their case was rejected by the District Court in 1994. They appealed and the High Court rejected their demands in 1998. However, although they lost their case, they extracted an acknowledgement that nuclear power plants are a negative legacy for future generations. They appealed to the Supreme Court, but their case was The ritual victory banner photo rejected in 2000. The Shika-2 victory therefore n March 24th the Kanazawa District came 18 years after they first lodged a case against Court handed down a verdict demanding the Shika nuclear power plant. that operation of Hokuriku Electric Major features of the verdict OPower Company's Shika-2 reactor (1,358 MW Reading the verdict one notices that it has ABWR) be suspended. There are currently 55 several features. commercial reactors operating in Japan, but this First, the plaintiffs' claims about issues such is the first time that citizens have won a court case as the following were all rejected: the problems against one of these reactors on the grounds that of stress corrosion cracking and pipe thinning, the it is unsafe to operate.