Commenting on today's accident at Mihama nuclear power plant in Japan

Shaun Burnie from Greenpeace International said: "Today's accident was the worst in Japan's nuclear history and the tragic loss of life could have been avoided. Japan should mark this tragic event by closing its nuclear industry down. Nuclear power plants are unsafe. They produce tonnes of highly radioactive waste and increase nuclear proliferation. Alternatives sources of energy, such as wind, are not only safe, but are also cleaner and cheaper than nuclear power. It's time to turn away from dangerous and dirty power sources and towards clean, renewable energy".

Today's accident comes 59 years after the U.S. dropped a nuclear bomb on the Japanese city of Nagasaki. It will further undermine public confidence in the Japanese nuclear industry, already rocked by numerous safety scandals. Tokyo Electric Power Company is still trying to recover from the recent scandal it caused by falsifying safety inspections, which forced it to shut down all of its 17 nuclear reactors. Kansai Electric Power Company, the owner of Mihama, was also implicated in that scandal.

As Japan's nuclear power plants grow older, the chances of accidents increase. Mihama was 28 years old. Most of the Japanese nuclear power plants will be nearing this age in the next 5-10 years.

For more information please contact:

Steve Shallhorn, Greenpeace Japan Executive Director, + 818054166507
Shaun Burnie, Greenpeace International nuclear campaigner on + 31 6 29 00 11 33
William Peden, Greenpeace International Climate, Nuclear and Disarmament Researcher +31 653504731
Cecilia Goin, Greenpeace International media officer, + 31 6 212 96 908

Endnote:
Japan's worst nuclear accident to date will undoubtedly have serious implications for the upcoming decision on whether or not to proceed with opening of the massive new nuclear reprocessing plant at Rokassho.