Japan governor forces scrapping of nuclear plant

["Sandy Perle" <sandyfl@earthlink.net>]

Japan governor forces scrapping of nuclear plant

TOKYO, Feb 22 (Reuters) - In another sign of Japan's slipping 
confidence in nuclear power, a major electricity company said on 
Tuesday it was scrapping a planned plant after a prefectural 
governor said the idea should go back to the drawing board. 

Masayasu Kitagawa, the outspoken governor of Mie prefecture in 
western Japan, said on Tuesday the 37-year-old plan to build a 
nuclear plant in the prefecture should start from scratch. 

``It is difficult to go ahead with the project under the present 
circumstances,'' Kitagawa told a meeting of the prefectural 
assembly in a reference to the mounting public debate over nuclear 
power. 

``It should go back to the drawing board,'' he said. 

Following Kitagawa's comments, Chubu Electric Power Co, which 
had wanted to build the Ashihama plant, said it would scrap the 
project. 

``We respect the governor's opinion and have decided to send the 
plan back to the drawing board,'' Hiroji Oota, president of Chubu 
Electric, told a news conference. 

He said Chubu would would seek an alternative site for a plant that 
the company says is essential to meet growing electricity demand. 
Japan depends on nuclear power for 35 percent of its electricity 
needs. 

The decision comes amid growing public anger over nuclear energy 
following Japan's worst nuclear accident last September in which 
one worker died and 439 people were exposed to radiation. 

Mie governor Kitagawa said his action took into account the fierce 
conflict over the plant that had divided the local community since 
the project was first unveiled 37 years ago. 

The project spans two towns, with one supporting it and the other 
opposed. The differences have led to violent clashes in the past.
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