Japanese bishop warns government against nuclear power
Warning issued on eve of premier Abe's meeting with pope

Japan June 6, 2014 "We are asking prime minister Shinzo Abe to abandon the way of nuclear energy. But in order to really choose an alternative route to renewable energy our people must be ready to change their lifestyle. Otherwise it is just hypocrisy".

The Japanese bishop Isao Kikuchi touches upon a very sensitive point and denounces the risk of a purely ideological approach to the nuclear issue. A Divine Word Missionary, 56 year-old Kikuchi is the bishop of Niigata and the president of the Japanese Caritas agency, which has assumed an increasing role and prestige in the country of the Rising Sun thanks to its efforts during the last three years after the earthquake, tsunami and disaster at the Fukushima power plant.

Approximately 267 thousand people are living in temporary shelters in the affected areas, and Caritas continues its laudable work of aid, rehabilitation of displaced persons and reconstruction, and has just announced that its support will continue for another three years.

On the eve of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's arrival at the Vatican, in an exclusive conversation with Vatican Insider bishop Kikuchi intervenes in the ongoing countrywide debate in the aftermath of the nuclear disaster which, three years from that fateful March 11th, 2011, has once again returned to centre stage.

Also on account of the about-face by the Tokyo-based government...