The earthquake that struck Japan has caused an explosion inside two nuclear reactors in the Fukushima I Nuclear Power Plant with a possible third reactor also in danger of meltdown causing a radioactive cloud, the evacuation of 170,000 people and the immediate admission into hospital of one hundred people.
Despite the reassurances from the Japanese government, the situation could still worsen and the spin of the nuclear industry can already be seen working to try to lessen the growing opposition to nuclear energy.
What has happened shows that nuclear plants are unsafe and dangerous, not only for the radioactive waste left behind for future generations for thousands of years, but also for the enormous dangers for those who live nearby. The Japanese government has been totally irresponsible in pursuing a nuclear energy policy given the instability of the country’s geology.
Tony Robinson, spokesperson for the organisation said, *“World without Wars supports the abandonment of this energy source which apart from being a threat to nuclear weapons proliferation is outdated, insecure and expensive and instead we support the adoption of energy models based on alternative and renewable energy sources.*
*“From the moment uranium is mined from the ground until the moment it ends up as undisposable waste products the substance causes poisoning, weapons proliferation problems and struggles for control of minerals. It is absolutely irresponsible for governments to use nuclear energy. This is not about restricting the rights of individual countries to pursue energy policies necessary to meet today’s national demands; it’s about not poisoning the whole planet for hundreds of generations to come.”*
