A citizens' advocacy group began a campaign to collect signatures in Tokyo and Osaka on Dec. 10 for referendums on the use of nuclear power.
A citizens' advocacy group began a campaign to collect signatures in Tokyo and Osaka on Dec. 10 for referendums on the use of nuclear power.
Citizens can call on their local governments to establish an ordinance for holding a referendum if they collect valid signatures from at least one-50th the number of registered voters.
The campaign for signatures got under way in front of JR Shibuya Station in Tokyo and in front of Takashimaya department store's Nanba outlet in Osaka.
Cartoon creator Tetsuya Chiba and actor Taro Yamamoto were among the campaigners in Tokyo, while bunraku puppet play narrator Toyotake Hanafusadayu participated in Osaka.
The group, Minna de Kimeyo Genpatsu Kokumin Tohyo (Let everyone participate in making decisions on nuclear power by referendum), was formed after the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant accident started in March.
The group, headed by journalist Hajime Imai, decided to seek referendums in Tokyo and Osaka since both the Tokyo metropolitan government and Osaka city government are major shareholders of their respective regional power companies, Tokyo Electric Power Co. and Kansai Electric Power Co.
Before the petition can be submitted to the Tokyo metropolitan government on Feb. 9, 214,236 signatures are required.
In Osaka, 42,673 signatures are needed by Jan. 9.
The group plans to garner 300,000 signatures in Tokyo and 60,000 in Osaka, with 30 percent or so invalid signatures taken into consideration.
On the morning of Dec. 10, Shotaro Kobayashi, a film director who represents the petitioners, and about 20 trustees who collect signatures stood at the Hachiko statue in Shibuya.
"Whether you are for or against nuclear power generation, I hope (the envisioned referendum) will give each person an opportunity to deeply consider the pluses and minuses," Kobayashi told the crowd of onlookers.