Villagers in Kariwa, Niigata Prefecture, opposed to introducing plutonium mixed oxide fuel in a local nuclear reactor expressed their happiness Monday after a majority of voters turned thumbs down on the plan in a plebiscite the day before.
Opponents of the MOX fuel plan said they saw a definite momentum swing in their favor, even though the vote is not legally binding and the plan could still go ahead.
"The number of people who voted yes on the project was much smaller than the number who registered as members of a pro-MOX group in the village," said Kazuyuki Takemoto, a member of the anti-MOX group, explaining that most of the registered members of the proponents are employees of Tokyo Electric Power Co. or its subcontractors.