Japanese court refuses to close uranium enrichment plant

[NNN0LHI]

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TOKYO - A Japanese high court Tuesday rejected calls to close a controversial uranium enrichment plant.

The Sendai High Court upheld a previous judgement, which turned down calls from local residents to close the plant in the northern town of Rokkasho.

Seventy-seven residents had filed the appeal, arguing that the plant would pose a risk in the event of amajor earthquake or plane crash. snip

Rokkasho, the hub of Japan’s nuclear industry, is also home to a plant that extracts uranium and plutonium from spent nuclear fuel. It began a 17-month trial on March 31, despite local protests.