Japan: Thousands take part in anti-nuclear protests ahead of Fukushima anniversary

Three years after the Fukushima disaster, thousands of anti-nuclear demonstrators have filled the streets of Tokyo.

They called on the government to pull the plug on nuclear power for good.

It was one of a number of protests which were planned across Japan on Sunday.

“I am here today because I want to rid the planet of nuclear power as quickly as possible,” said Fumiko Ichikawa, one of the Tokyo demonstrators.

The government of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is setting its sights on restarting some of the country’s 48 mothballed reactors.

The loss of nuclear power has meant importing extra oil, coal and gas and that has hurt the economy.

But, in the wake of the meltdown at Fukushima in March 2011, people in Japan are worried about safety and the impact on their health.

Many say they have lost faith in the current government and are demanding that its nuclear plans be scrapped.