March 11 Demonstration for a Nuclear Free Japan & A Better Future ~Marking 7 years since the Fukushima disaster~

A joint project between the people and opposition parties
toward a nuclear free Japan and energy autonomy

Date: 17:00~19:00 March 11, 2018 (Sunday)
Venue: In front of parliament building main gate (includes speeches by prominent figures and politicians)
In front of prime minister’s office (includes no-nuke chants)
Organizer: Metropolitan Coalition Against Nukes (MCAN)

Background:
The Fukushima disaster triggered by the Great East Japan Earthquake seven years ago on March 11, 2011 transformed the way people think in Japan. Up until that time, people rarely spoke about nuclear issues. With the problems from the disaster still far from resolved, everything remains fresh in people’s mind, from the damage caused and the forced evacuations to the disrupted lives. The no-nuclear issue has become a central part of public discourse.

Despite this, the Abe administration continues to push forward with its nuclear ambitions and its ill-fated Basic Energy Plan. It is also pouring energy into exporting nuclear technology and the government has agreed to finance a large share of a Hitachi nuclear power plant project in the United Kingdom. In May 2011, Shinzo Abe of the LDP Party, the opposition party at the time, floated the idea that then Prime Minister Kan stopped seawater from flowing into the Fukushima reactor and got set to submit a no-confidence motion in the Cabinet. There is no way politics of the country should have been left to a person willing to sink to such deceitful measures at such a troubling time for both the ruling and opposition parties.

Although the government is doing everything it can to bring more nuclear reactors online, the anti-nuclear movement has been successful in reducing the operation of Japan’s reactors. At the end of 2017 the Hiroshima High Court revoked a lower court decision and ordered the suspension of a nuclear reactor at Shikoku Electric Power Co.’s Ikata power plant in Ehime Prefecture. This marked the first time a high court has banned operations at a nuclear power plant. In addition, the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan is calling for a coalition between opposition parties (Japanese Communist Party, Democratic Party of Japan, Social Democratic Party, Liberal Party, etc.) and the Japanese people to propose a basic law for a nuclear free Japan. Former Prime Minister Koizumi also announced a basic law to abolish nuclear power and promote natural energy, which has received great interest. This year, the Basic Energy Plan will be revised and the Japan-U.S. Nuclear Cooperation Agreement is up for renewal, making 2018 a potential major turning point.

The lessons from the Fukushima disaster need to be learned. Japan is currently running counter to the global trend away from nuclear power and toward renewable energy. The country is at risk of falling behind the rest of the world. The Abe administration continues to drain the country of its national wealth and that’s why we have to do everything we can to make sure the party doesn’t stay in power. Instead, let’s get in a new forward-looking administration that can take the lead in pursuing a nuclear-free Japan. Join us on March 11 as a memorial to everyone affected by the earthquake and nuclear disaster and to strengthen our resolve to realize a nuclear-free Japan and world.

[Protest in front of parliament building]
(Guest speeches and live performances)

Speeches:
From Fukushima:
Kaori Suzuki
(Executive Director, Iwaki Radiation Measuring Center, Tarachine / Vice Chairman, Okinawa Kumi No Sato)

Prominent figures (not in order of appearance):
●Fuminobu Ueki (Director of Executive Committee of Nakusote Genpatsu Kashiwazaki Daishuukai/Representative of Tsunageyo Datsu-genpatsu no wa Joetsu no Kai)
●Keiko Ochiai (Writer/Manager of Crayon House)
●Rika Kayama (Psychiatrist)
●Hiroyuki Kawai (Lawyer/Representative of “Datsu Genpatsu Bengodan Zenkoku Renrakkai” (the Nationwide Liaison Association of Nuclear-Free Defense Lawyers)/ /Filmmaker)
●Naoto Kan (Former Prime Minister/Principal Advisor to Constitutional Democratic Party)
●Shigeaki Koga (Former Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry official/ representative of Forum 4, a social movement supporting both pacifism and structural reform of the economy)
●Masashi Goto (Director of NPO APAST (Union for Alternative Pathways in Science & Technology)/Former nuclear engineer)
●Shoji Sakurai (Acquitted in Fukawa Case)

Opposition party politicians: To be determined

Opening live performance
●CICALA MVTA
Other performers (To be determined)

Plans are subject to change. Please refer to our website for details. http://coalitionagainstnukes.jp/?p=10565

Access

Nearest stations:
Kokkaigijidomae (Marunouchi, Chiyoda lines / Exits 3, 4)
Nagatacho (Yurakucho, Hanzomon, Namboku lines / Exit 1)
Tameike Sanno (Namboku, Ginza lines / Exit 5; Also passage to Kokkaigijidomae Stn.)
Kasumigaseki (Marunouchi, Chiyoda, Hibiya lines / Exits A8, A13)
Sakuradamon (Yurakucho line / Exits 1, 2)

Please help us with a donation for this event

This event is run solely on donations from ordinary citizens. Please help us to continue our work with a donation.

○From Japan Post Bank (at Post Offices):
Account name: シュトケンハンゲンパツレンゴウ (“Shutoken han-genpatsu rengo”)
Account number: 00170-1-291074
○If you deposit from another bank, use the branch number 019 with 0291074 as the account number (Account type: Toza (当座)).
*Please put “0311 kanpa” in the reference section.

Johnan Shinkin Bank
Yokohama Branch
Branch number: 063
Account type: Ordinary (Futsuu 普通)
Account number: 285654
Account name: シュトケンハンゲンパツレンゴウ (“Shutoken han-genpatsu rengo”)

Notes:

○This is a non-violent action. Please only participate upon understanding of this policy.
○Please make appropriate preparations for weather, especially fluid for rehydration and rain gear.
○Approach staff if you feel unwell.
○Solicitation to participate in religious or other groups is strictly prohibited.
○Please do not distribute any printed material to participants that has not first been approved by organizers.
○No flyer distribution or petitions allowed.
○Please leave ample space for pedestrians.
○Please make sure flags are directly related to the anti-nuclear movement.
○For camera and video operators, please provide affiliation and contact details if asked by staff.

Inquiries:

Email: info@coalitionagainstnukes.jp