OITA, Japan, April 8, Kyodo

Former Prime Minister Tomiichi Murayama said Sunday it is regrettable that he changed the then Japan Socialist Party’s policy to an acceptance of nuclear power stations while he was in office.

’’It was imprudent and it was a failure. I want to apologize,’’ Murayama told an antinuclear meeting in the city of Oita. ’’I’m filled with a strong feeling that I should not accept nuclear power stations so I can make up for my mistake.’’

Murayama expressed opposition to the government’s efforts toward resuming idled reactors at the Oi nuclear power plant in Fukui Prefecture, saying the government has not yet provided a satisfactory explanation to the public regarding why the nuclear crisis at the Fukushima Daiichi power plant occurred.