Sayonara Nuclear Power Plants (Japanese: さようなら原発1000万人アクション, Hepburn: Sayōnara Genpatsu Issenmannin Akushon) is an anti-nuclear organization and campaign in Japan.[3] Translated, its full name means "10-Million People Action [to say] Goodbye to Nuclear Power Plants", and as the name would suggest, its aim is to gather 10 million signatures protesting against nuclear power plants.[4] As of December 2013, the campaign had collected 8.3 million signatures.[3]
Aims edit
The group would like to see Japan's energy policy shifted away from nuclear power and towards renewable energy.[4] The group's petition says, "What has become clear from the Fukushima nuclear disaster and later developments is this hard fact: there is no nuclear energy that is safe. In other words, nuclear technology and humanity cannot coexist."[5]
Activities edit
As well as collecting signatures, the organization has held several anti-nuclear rallies. It held a rally of 60,000 people in Meiji Park (near Meiji Shrine), Tokyo, on September 17, 2011, and a rally in Koriyama, Fukushima, on March 11, 2012, the first anniversary of the Fukushima nuclear disaster. On July 16, 2012, it held a rally in Yoyogi Park, Tokyo, which drew 170,000 people.[4][5] It has been suggested that these anti-nuclear protests and related activities may indicate new levels of political activism from urban workers and young people.[6]
Members edit
The group counts well-known celebrities in its ranks. Among the founding members are writer Kenzaburō Ōe, historian Shunsuke Tsurumi, and authors Hisae Sawachi, Katsuto Uchihashi and Keiko Ochiai.[7][4] According to the group, its supporters also include Minamisoma Mayor Katsunobu Sakurai and Tokai Village Mayor Tatsuya Murakami, as well as film director Yoji Yamada and actress Sayuri Yoshinaga.[5]