Hiroshima residents file lawsuit over restarting n-plant

Tokyo, March 11: A group of residents from the Japanese city of Hiroshima, including several survivors from the 1945 atomic bombing, on Friday filed a lawsuit to prevent the reactivation of a nuclear power plant in the area.

The plaintiffs urged Hiroshima district court to put a stop order on the reactivation process of Ikata plant, fearing the risk of an accident similar to the one in Fukushima Daiichi plant, triggered by the earthquake and tsunami of March 11, 2011, EFE news reported.

The three Ikata plant reactors are currently disabled, although plant owner, Shikoku Electric, plans to restart unit number three this spring, after obtaining approval from the Japanese Nuclear Regulation Authority.

The group of plaintiffs comprise 67 people, including 18 "hibakusha", or survivors of the Second World War nuclear bombings in August 1945, as well as a citizen of Fukushima prefecture who was evacuated following the accident.

The lawsuit was filed two days after another court in west Japan agreed in favour of a lawsuit by a group of individuals who believed that a plant in Takahama posed a danger for the region, and could result in an accident.

In March 2014, the total number of hibakusha remaining in Japan or residing in other countries totalled to 183,519, almost half of the 372,264 in 1980, while their average age surpassed 80 years for the first time.

IANS