Campaign Against Climate Change Report

Saturday 1st December 2012 - Japanese Against Nuclear UK (JANUK) took part in London demo for the environment, organised by the Campaign Against Climate Change.

Here is the link to Japanese Report on CACC

Saturday 1st December 2012 - Japanese Against Nuclear UK (JANUK) took part in London demo for the environment, organised by the Campaign Against Climate Change.

Before the event, JANUK members were briefed about some of the world's leading environmentalists, including George Monbiot, who were recently converted to pro-nuclear. Immediate after the onset of the Fukushima nuclear disaster, Monbiot stated in his letter to the Prime Minister that Fukushima demonstrated how "safe" nuclear power was - "no one has died, " as a result of the multiple meltdowns in Japan. The UK government promotes nuclear energy as one of its key strategies to meet the carbon target and plans to build a score of new nuclear reactors.

Our aims of the day were to make a stand against nuclear power in the current climate of promoting nuclear as one of the 'green' sources of energy and to persuade environmentalists that nuclear is not an answer to global warming. During the pre-demo meeting opposite the American Embassy at Grosvenor Square, several hundred people gathered. Vegetarian curry was served to protesters for free. A giant mock shale gas pipeline was built in protest against fracking.

JANUK joined the anti-nuclear block with fellow anti-nuclear power organisation Kick Nuclear during the demonstration and marched through Central London shouting "No to nukes!", "No more Fuksuhima!" Wherever we went, the Fukushima call, and Japanese presence seemed to attract the attention of the Christmas shoppers and holiday makers from all over the world. On passing TEPCO London office, we shouted "Shame on you, TEPCO!" Some members of JANUK were interviewed during the demo. After Piccadilly Circus, JANUK switched to Japanese language for a while to appeal to the Japanese shoppers and tourists around Mitsukoshi department store and Japan Centre. Kick Nuclear had no problem with using Japanese phrases as they had had plenty of practice from their Friday protest at Japanese Embassy against nuclear restart in Japan. A man in the crowd near Trafalgar Square talked to a JANUK member and said he was from Fukushima. How did he feel about the name of his home region being used in anti-nuclear campaign in London?

The demo ended in front of the Parliament, where the post-demo meeting was held. Both John McDonnell, a Labour MP, and Natalie Bennett, the Leader of Green Party, denounced nuclear power in their speeches. JANUK members handed out the remaining flyers to the climate campaigners and explained why nuclear is the most contaminating, dangerous and expensive form of energy. Fukushima flag flying against the Parliament and Big Ben was a much photographed image of the day.

JANUK's campaign against nuclear power in Japan, UK and the world continues.