Anxious Japan prepares for life without nuclear power

[Nihil]

3. They've done remarkably well on the conservation side.

Setting a standard to show how advanced technological nations *can* do it
if they really want to.

Mind you, they've certainly had encouragement in doing so:
> "I have to say we are facing the risk of a very severe electricity shortage,"
> the economy, trade and industry minister, Yukio Edano, said, adding that
> the extra cost of importing fuel for use in thermal power stations could be
> passed on to individual consumers though higher electricity bills.
> ...
> Over the past 14 months, dozens of nuclear reactors not directly affected
> by the tsunami have gone offline to undergo regular maintenance and
> safety checks, while utilities have turned to coal, oil and gas-fired power
> plants to keep industry and households supplied with electricity – imports
> that contribute to Japan's first trade deficit for more than 30 years last year.

Still, it shows that it *can* be done, given enough incentive (including public
encouragement to *REDUCE* their consumption rather than increase it in order
to be a "good citizen&quot .