Nuclear Promotion Dropped in Japan Energy Policy After Fukushima

[bananas]

Source: Bloomberg

Japan’s government abandoned its policy of promoting atomic power, saying it will reduce reliance on the sector in its first annual review of energy since the Fukushima nuclear disaster.

The energy white paper, approved by the Cabinet today, calls for a reduction in the nation’s reliance on atomic power in what was the third-biggest user of the fuel before the March 11 earthquake and tsunami. It also omits a section on nuclear power expansion that was in last year’s policy review.

The earthquake and tsunami disabled power and cooling systems at Tokyo Electric Power Co.’s Fukushima Dai-Ichi nuclear station, leading to the worst atomic disaster since Chernobyl in 1986. Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda is planning to reduce the country’s dependency on nuclear energy while seeking to restart idled nuclear reactors once their safety is secured and local governments approve.

“Public confidence in safety of nuclear power was greatly damaged by the Great East Japan Earthquake and the accident at Tepco’s Fukushima atomic station,” the paper said. The government “regrets its past energy policy and will review it with no sacred cows.”

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Read more: http://www.businessweek.com/news/2011-10-27/nuclear-promotion-dropped-in-japan-energy-policy-after-fukushima.html

[redixdoragon]

1. My God. A Government working for the benefit of its people over an industry

Seems like a fantasy.

[No Elephants]

2. Maybe it's only a government that doesn't want to be tarred and feathered.

Or pressured to commit hari kari.

The Japanese seem to be a very dutiful people as far as government and law and order. However, with all that's happened to that poor country in the last year, I would not push the people too far.

I think government promoting nuclear power plants right now might fall into the category of pushing people too far.