Antinuclear activists camping out at the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry refused to take down their tents Friday despite an order to do so by 5 p.m.
Hundreds of people meanwhile came to see the three tents around the deadline, apparently to show their support for the protesters.
About 10 of the activists have regularly stayed in the tents since September.
METI on Wednesday handed the protesters an order to remove their tents by 5 p.m. Friday because they “continued to use fires even though we repeatedly told them not to,” official Hideyuki Maekawa said.
But shortly after 5 p.m., Maekawa told The Japan Times the ministry was not taking any action against the protesters and instead hopes they “will leave voluntarily.”
Continue reading at Nuclear foes defy order to remove tents from the grounds of METI
