Japan adopts nuclear power phase-out plan

• 11 years ago (2012-09-15)
• David Flin

Asia 848 North America 998 Nuclear 640

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The Japanese Government has officially adopted a new long-term energy strategy that calls for the elimination of nuclear power generation by the end of the 2030s. However, critics have said that the new energy goals lack key details about how to achieve this target, and the existing nuclear fuel recycling programme will be maintained.

The government has indicated that this zero-nuclear policy could be revised, depending on such factors as progress in the development of renewable energy and changes in public opinion. In addition, the strategy paper said that the government will temporarily reactivate reactors that have been halted once the atomic regulatory authority confirms their safety. The new energy goals do not cover details, including potential electricity rate increases, how to increase renewable energy, and how to win the consent of local governments that host nuclear facilities.

The new energy plan says that the government will maintain the existing programme to recycle uranium and plutonium fuels after it was argued that the recycling programme is needed to keep consuming plutonium for peaceful purposes and prevent proliferation of nuclear materials. Consideration was also given to the prefectures still hoping to maintain facilities related to the recycling.

The paper said the government will construct more natural gas pipelines and try to stably procure more LNG from North America to keep fuel costs low. The paper also states that the government will try to increase the use of renewable energy from the current 10 percent to 30 percent of the country’s total energy mix by 2030.