Anti-nuclear activists yesterday protested outside Japan's Interchange Association in Taipei, accusing Japan of exporting "deficient nuclear reactors" to Taiwan.
A reactor pressure vessel arrived in a wharf in Kungliao, Taipei County, several days ago and was scheduled to be handed over to the Taiwan Power Company yesterday and then delivered the Fourth Nuclear Power Plant under construction nearby.
Yesterday morning, dozens of activists from the No Nuke Taiwan Union performed a skit outside the association's Taipei office to oppose Japan's exporting of nuclear reactors to Taiwan. The union is comprised of dozens of local environmental groups formed earlier this year.
PHOTO: CNA
Two performers wearing the national flags of Japan and the US trampled on a performer lying on the ground and wrapped in the flag of ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).
"Useless government! Allowing others to be trampled on!" activists shouted.
According to Chen Jiau-hua (
"The safety of such a reactor type, known as advanced boiling-water reactor, cannot be guaranteed," Chen said.
Activists said that a similar reactor installed at a nuclear power plant in Kashiwazaki, Japan, had resulted in several nuclear accidents.
The activists' demonstration received no response from the association. Aside from the performance the activists gave statement to an office security guard, who promised to pass it onto his managers.
Afterward, activists burned several paper Japanese national flags with anti-nuclear slogans written on them.
Meanwhile, other activists also protested in front of the Fourth Nuclear Plant's construction site yesterday afternoon to show their anger.
Lin Yuan-te (林源得), Taipower's deputy manager for the Lungmen Construction Office in Kungliao, told the Taipei Times yesterday the reactor would be unloaded and transferred to the construction site today. Lin said there would be no problem with the transport, and did not anticipate that angry residents or activists would interfere.
Lin said that about 58 percent of the plant project had been completed.
"The progress remains 8 percent behind the original design. The plant's opening date, which was set to be July, 2006, will be postponed," he said.
How long the launch of the plant will be delayed remained uncertain, Lin noted. However, the first reactor will be assembled by the end of this year.
FUKUOKA SITUATION: Japanese media reported that the pathogen is expected to be identified by the summer, while the CDC downplayed the idea that it was hMPV A “mysterious cold-like illness” reported in Japan’s Fukuoka Prefecture does not seem to be a new disease, but Japanese authorities have been asked about the situation, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) said yesterday. The Fukuoka Prefectural Medical Association on Wednesday told a news conference that a “mystery cold” that has become a hot topic on social media is “highly likely to be caused by some kind of viral infection,” Japan’s KBC News reported. “Many people are experiencing symptoms starting with a sore throat, followed by a runny nose, phlegm and a severe cough,” KBC News reported, citing association officials. Health authorities are
Nvidia Corp CEO Jensen Huang (黃仁勳) arrived in Taiwan yesterday ahead of upcoming AI and technology events, saying he plans to meet with clients and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co Chairman C.C. Wei (魏哲家) during his visit. After landing at Taipei Songshan Airport, Huang posed for photos with fans and handed out Yakult drinks to reporters and supporters waiting at the scene, saying he has “a lot to do” during the trip. Asked about reports that Nvidia’s planned headquarters site in Taipei’s Beitou Shilin Technology Park could break ground on May 27, Huang said that if the company holds an event, he would
Carrefour Taiwan is to begin using a new name from the start of July, but it cannot divulge the name until then, the chairman of the supermarket chain's parent company said today. President Chain Store Co chairman Lo Chih-hsien (羅智先) was asked by reporters after a shareholders' meeting to confirm whether the company has settled on a new name for the supermarket brand. In March, the government-registered name of two Carrefour Taiwan branches was quietly changed to "Le Chia Kang" (樂家康) in Chinese, raising speculation that has been selected as the name. Lo said that because of local regulations and contractual obligations, the
The Philippines would likely be involved in any conflict over Taiwan due to its proximity to the democracy claimed by China, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr said, reiterating a stance that risks angering Beijing. “In the Philippines, we do not have a choice because Taiwan is so close to the Philippines and we have almost 200,000 Filipino nationals living and working in Taiwan,” Marcos said in an interview with Japanese media in Manila on Monday. The Philippine leader’s comments come ahead of a state visit to Japan next week, where he is to meet with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi to discuss security
RSS