Japan’s protests grow, with nuclear power restart
“We are against the restart,” protestors chanted to the beat of drums as they faced a line of riot 
police.
On Friday, tens of thousands of people gathered on streets outside the premier’s residence in central Tokyo with organisers estimating the turnout at up to 180,000.
Protesters try to block Japan nuclear switch-on, Radio Australia 1 July 2012, Engineers in Japan have begun refiring an atomic reactor, despite growing public protests in the aftermath of meltdowns at Fukushima.
Local media reported that the process to restart Unit No. 3 at Oi in western Japan began around 9:00 pm (1200 GMT).
It had earlier been reported that control rods that have prevented an atomic reaction would be removed and fission would begin. The reactor was expected to reach criticality early Monday morning.
A noisy demonstration near the power station that had begun earlier in the day was continuing, live streamed footage showed.
“We are against the restart,” protestors chanted to the beat of drums as they faced a line of riot police.
It was not possible to tell from the footage on
http://www.ustream.tv/channel/iwakamiyasumi the size of the protest or
of the police presence, however, a counter on the website showed
around 25,000 viewers at 10:00 pm (1300 GMT).
Sunday’s demonstration was the latest in a line of increasingly vocal
anti-nuclear demonstrations in a country with little recent history of
large-scale public protest…… On Friday, tens of thousands of people gathered on streets outside the premier’s residence in central Tokyo with organisers estimating the turnout at up to 180,000.
Police estimates were around 20,000, according to media reports. No
explanation was given for the large disparity.
A week earlier, an estimated 45,000 people gathered in a similar
protest rally there.
Smaller-scale protests had been held every Friday outside the
premier’s residence since late March, and have been led in part by
Nobel Prize-winning author Kenzaburo Oe, who started an anti-nuclear
petition that has so far gathered more than 7.5 million signatures.
On Saturday around 1,000 people marched through the streets of
Shinjuku, a major shopping and entertainment district, in protest of
the nuclear restart, an AFP journalist at the scene said.
http://www.radioaustralia.net.au/international/2012-06-29/protesters-try-to-block-japan-nuclear-switchon/970282
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1.This month.
Zoom webinar – “Nuclear Winter: The Environmental Consequences of a Nuclear Exchange.”
April 7th at 11:30 am PST / 2:30 pm EST
Nuclear Winter: The Environmental Consequences of a Nuclear Exchange”
Join us for an informative webinar with renowned atmospheric scientist, Professor Brian Toon, as he discusses the environmental risks and global impacts of a nuclear war. Despite the potential damage caused by the blast from even small nuclear weapons, many countries continue to invest in and expand nuclear arsenals. Professor Toon will provide a scientific assessment of civilian fatalities, agricultural failures, climate concerns, and complications with food supply that would follow any international nuclear conflict. We need to plan how to prevent nuclear conflict and avoid catastrophe. Politicians and military planners must be made aware of global climate and agricultural complications that would ensue. Don’t miss this opportunity to learn from, and engage in, this vital conversation
The Road to War brings a sharp focus to why it is not in Australia’s best interest to be dragged into a war with China which will almost inevitably go nuclear very quickly. The filmmaker has interviewed some of Australia’s senior foreign policy analysts who have vast experience behind them in analysing what really is going on here as the United States rattles its sabres with China. And sets us up to be its proxy, like the poor Ukranians have been fed into the Meatgrinder. So America can remain the Top Dog. The Road to War reveals how the United States through its spy base at Pine Gap and by stationing six nuclear capable B52 bombers in the Top End (without permission from the traditional owners) is making Australia a prime nuclear target if the current war of words suddenly melts down into full scale war.
The Road to War shows the implicit connection between Carbon emissions (the US military uses a whopping 70% of America’s annual petroleum to move its armies and vast War Machine around the globe to its 800+ military bases..but under a loophole wangled at Kyoto, the US military does not have to report its C02 annual emissions). The Road to War starts screening at selected cities and regional centres in March. See the trailer end for details.
Antinuclear 
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