Nuclear restarts spark chain reaction

Voters also went to the polls in a closely watched regional election for governor in south-western Yamaguchi Prefecture, where an outspoken anti-nuclear candidate is running.

Protesters said they were angry the government restarted two reactors earlier this month, despite safety worries after the multiple meltdowns at Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear plant in March last year. They were the first to come back into operation since May when the last of Japan’s 50 working reactors went off-line for routine checks.

Banging on drums and waving balloons and banners, protesters marched from a Tokyo park and lined up along the blocks around the parliament building, chanting “No to restarts,” and later lit candles.

“All these people have come together and are raising their voices,” said Shoji Kitano, 64, a retired maths teacher, wearing a sign that said: “No to Nukes.”

Mr Kitano said he had not seen such massive demonstrations since the 1960s. He stressed ordinary Japanese usually did not demonstrate, but they were outraged over the restarting of nuclear power.

Similar demonstrations have been held outside the prime minister’s residence every Friday evening. The crowds have not dwindled, as people get the word out through Twitter and other online networking. A July 16 holiday rally at a Tokyo park, featuring a rock star and a Nobel laureate drew nearly 200,000 people.

The crowd appeared to be smaller yesterday, with Kyodo News service estimating it at about 10,000. Participants said they came from across Japan.

Premier Yoshihiko Noda defended his decision to restart the two reactors at Ohi nuclear plant in central Japan as necessary to maintain people’s living standards.