Abe administration likely to propose nuclear restart

• 10 years ago (2013-06-01)
• Junior Isles

Asia 850 Nuclear 640

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Japan is set to push for restart of idled nuclear reactors as an integral part of its new economic growth plan, according to a leaked draft of a cabinet document.

The plans are outlined in a draft growth strategy, which is expected to win Cabinet approval as early as June 14th.

The new policy would be a marked turnaround compared with previous governments, and some are concerned the turnaround has come too soon, with the public still harbouring doubts about the safety of nuclear reactors following the Fukushima disaster.

The government's decision to continue to rely on nuclear power will be presented for approval to the Industrial Competitiveness Council, a government panel tasked to draw up a growth strategy, on June 5th.

The draft underscores a need to help business circles by addressing potential shortfalls in power supply after the nuclear disaster forced virtually all of the nation's reactors offline.

Nuclear energy accounted for almost 30 per cent of Japan’s overall power supply before the 2011 disaster.

The return to nuclear power, the draft says, is an answer to Japan’s energy troubles and ballooning fossil fuel costs, along with the implementation proposed grid reform and the development of more efficient, modern thermal power generation.

The draft specifies that the government will restart only those reactors whose safety has been cleared by the Nuclear Regulation Authority watchdog.

Prime minister Shinzo Abe's Liberal Democratic Party had previously pledged to produce a mid-to-long-term energy plan within 10 years which would involve cutting Japan's reliance on nuclear power as much as possible.

It now seems that the influence and lobbying of major utilities and other industries, as well as mounting fuel costs and risks of power shortages, has forced an about-face.