Protests as Japan restarts nuclear power plant

Dozens of demonstrators in Japan are protesting against the restarting of a nuclear power plant - the first to go back online since all reactors were shut down for safety checks following the Fukushima nuclear disaster.

Ohi nuclear plant's reactor number three is set to go online today despite a deep divide in public opinion. Protesters shouted and danced outside it.

Last month, prime minister Yoshihiko Noda ordered the restarts of reactors number three and nearby number four, saying living standards can not be maintained without nuclear energy.

All 50 of Japan's working reactors have been turned off. Last year's earthquake and tsunami sent the Fukushima Dai-ichi plant into multiple meltdowns, setting off the worst nuclear disaster since Chernobyl. Worries about a power crunch over the hot summer months have been growing.

AP