News Summary: Japan PM says 2 reactors needed
NUCLEAR PITCH: Japan's leader appealed to the nation Friday to accept that two nuclear reactors that remained shuttered after the Fukushima disaster must be restarted to protect the economy and people's livelihoods.
SAFETY ASSURANCES: Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda said the government has taken ample safety measures to ensure the two reactors in western Japan would not leak radiation in an earthquake or tsunami as severe as last year's.
NONE OPERATING: All 50 of Japan's workable reactors are offline for maintenance and safety concerns since the magnitude 9.0 earthquake and tsunami on March 11, 2011, swept into a coastal plant in Fukushima.
