Prime Minister Noda to Give a Press Conference to Convince People in Japan That Nuclear Energy Is Essential for Japan

It's all part of a ceremony (absolutely nothing more) to restart Ooi Nuclear Power Plant in Fukui Prefecture before the summer peak season starts. The power that be in Japan, whether they are politicians or industry big shots, do not want the situation where there is no nuclear power plant operating and there is no shortage of electricity.

So, the ceremony goes like this:

1. Governor of Fukui Kazumi (Issei) Nishikawa, who was a career bureaucrat in the national government, wants Prime Minister Noda to explain to the Japanese that nuclear power is indispensable to Japan, as the condition for agreeing to restart Ooi Nuclear Power Plant.

2. Prime Minister Noda gives a speech saying nuclear power is indispensable to Japan.

3. Governor Nishikawa listens to the speech, and is satisfied that the speech is good. He agrees to the restart, and makes necessary steps in his government for the restart.

4. Prime Minister, on receiving the news that Governor Nishikawa is now satisfied, convenes a ministerial meeting with Edano, Hosono, Fujimura (and Sengoku in the background), and make a political decision to restart the plant, upon his "responsibility" (whatever that means).

From Yomiuri Shinbun (6/8/2012):

大飯再稼働、首相が会見で説明へ

Restart of Ooi Nuke Plant to be explained by Prime Minister in a press conference

野田首相は７日、関西電力大飯原子力発電所３、４号機（福井県おおい町）の再稼働に向け、日本のエネルギー政策に原子力発電が必要であることを国民に説明するため、記者会見を行う方向で最終調整に入った。

Prime Minister Noda was making the final arrangement on June 7 for a press conference to explain to the citizens in Japan that nuclear power generation is necessary for Japan's energy policy. The press conference is part of the government effort to restart Reactors 3 and 4 at Ooi Nuclear Power Plant operated by Kansai Electric (KEPCO) (in Ooi-cho, Fukui Prefecture).

福井県の西川一誠知事が再稼働に同意する条件として、原発の必要性に関する国民への説明を要求しているため、首相は応じることにした。

Governor Issei Nishikawa of Fukui Prefecture is demanding that the prime minister explain to the citizens of Japan about the need for nuclear power plants, as a condition to agreeing to restart the Ooi plant.

西川知事は、記者会見での首相の説明ぶりに納得できれば、県として再稼働に同意する手続きを行うとしている。首相は同意を得た後に速やかに関係閣僚との会合を開き、再稼働を最終判断する方針だ。

Governor Nishikawa has said that his prefectural government will proceed with steps to restart the plant if he is satisfied with the way Prime Minister Noda explains during the press conference. After obtaining the governor's consent, Prime Minister Noda is to convene a ministerial meeting right away to make the final decision on the restart of the plant.

政府内では「首相がこれまでの記者会見などで必要性を説明している」として記者会見に否定的な意見が強かったが、首相は７日に首相官邸で枝野経済産業相らと協議した結果、知事の求めに応じなければ再稼働時期が遅れると判断した。

Within the administration, there were many who were against such a press conference as "the prime minister has already explained the necessity [of nuclear power] in the previous press conferences". However, after conferring with people including Minister of Economy Edano at the Prime Minister's Official Residence on June 7, Noda decided that unless he responded to the Fukui governor's request, the timing for the restart would be delayed.

Governor Nishikawa seems to think that having PM Noda speak about nuclear power will convince the Japanese citizens of the need to restart one of many nuclear power plants in his prefecture, according to NHK news on 6/4/2012. Governor Nishikawa knows, however, that for him to say so is part of the ceremony, and one convenient way to evade whatever responsibility in case of an accident.

The press conference is supposed to be in the evening of June 8, 2012.

Meanwhile, 70 women including those from Fukushima Prefecture did a "die-in" on June 7 in front of the Prime Minister's Official Residence in protest against the restart of Ooi Nuclear Power Plant, according to Tokyo Shinbun (6/8/2012 morning edition)

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