International News

TOKYO, (APP/AFP) – A Japanese court on Wednesday ordered
two regional nuclear reactors to shut down over safety concerns, public broadcaster NHK reported, just days before the fifth anniversary of the Fukushima nuclear disaster.
The order would bring the number of operating reactors in Japan down
to two. Dozens were shut down in the wake of the accident.
The ruling is the first to require the shutdown of reactors that were
restarted under stricter safety standards adopted after the 2011 accident, the worst atomic crisis in a generation.
The ruling from the Otsu District Court — which sided with area
residents who launched their legal action claiming the reactors posed safety risks — is a blow to Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s bid to bring back nuclear power.
The reactors ordered to be shuttered are Kansai Electric’s No. 3 and
No. 4 reactors at its Takahama nuclear plant, some 350 kilometres (217 miles) west of Tokyo, NHK said.
The No.4 reactor was taken offline last month due to an unexpected
glitch days after it restarted, while the No. 3 reactor is currently operating.
Kansai Electric did not immediately comment on the media reports.
After the order was handed down Wednesday, television footage showed
plaintiffs and local residents cheering and holding banners celebrating their victory.