By Riyaz ul Khaliq
ANKARA (AA) - A Japanese court on Wednesday upheld the decision of a lower court to allow operations of two nuclear reactors in the country’s southwest, local media reported.
Locals in Fukuoka province had appealed the judgment of the lower court in the Fukuoka High Court to halt operation of the Nos. 3 and 4 reactors at the Genkai nuclear power plant, according to daily Japan Today.
They argued that the reactors are at a risk from a volcano in Mount Aso in neighboring Kumamoto province, saying the utility underestimates potential effects of seismic ground motion.
Previously, the locals had sought the suspension of operations from a lower court in 2017.
On March 11, 2011, the Great East Japan earthquake and tsunami damaged four nuclear reactors at the Fukushima Daiichi plant, out of which three were melted.