Hiroshima court rejects lawsuit to shut down idle nuclear reactor

Japan's Hiroshima High Court on Friday rejected a call by local residents to stop operating a malfunctioning nuclear reactor in the west of the country, upholding a lower court's decision.

The court's decision will allow operator Shikoku Electric Power to continue using nuclear reactor No. 3 at the Ikata nuclear plant in Ehime Prefecture, which has been suspended for periodic inspections, until June 19, according to Japan's Kyodo news agency on Friday.

Seven residents of Hiroshima and Ehime Prefectures, who live between 60 and 130 kilometers from the nuclear reactor, had filed an appeal.

During court hearings, residents said the company's estimate was inadequate, saying a major accident could occur in the event of a strong earthquake, similar to the one that devastated northern Japan in March 2011, referring to the damage to the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant.

Shikoku defended its assessment, saying it takes into account the local characteristics of the area, including the nature conditions of the land, stressing that there is no specific risk.