Japan stopped two nuclear reactors

The last two nuclear reactors still operating at the Hamaoka Nuclear Power Plant, Japan, was stopped on Saturday (05/14/2011) on fears of a major earthquake, according to Kyodo news agency. Chubu electric company said it stopped reactor number 4 and number 5 at the request of the Government of Japan.

Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan, said last week that the Japanese authorities decided to discontinue the two reactors are due to earthquake risk to the strength of 8.0 Richter scale in the territory of Japan facing the Pacific Ocean. There is a 87% chance a major earthquake will occur in the region in the next 30 years.

 

Reactor number 1 and number 2, built in the 1970s, was shut down two years ago. While the number 3 reactor was shut down for repairs.

The Japanese government has been reviewing the security of all its nuclear reactors, amounting to 54 units since the earthquake and tsunami last March 11 that damage Fukushima nuclear power plant in the northeastern part of the main island of Honshu, and cause the leakage of radiation.

Meanwhile, the United States Geological Survey reported that 6.2 Richter scale earthquake occurred east of Honshu on Saturday at 08:35 local time (06:35 GMT). There were no reports of damage or casualties and no tsunami warning.