Friday 21 September 2012

Doubts over Japan’s nuclear phase-out

Japan’s Cabinet this week failed to approve its Government’s energy policy which set a target of “zero nuclear plants” operating by the 2030s.

The move has raised doubts about its commitment to the nuclear phase-out which was prompted by the Fukushima Dai-chi nuclear accident in April last year.

Last week a governmental advisory panel recommended Japan adopt plans for a phase-out but this week the Cabinet did not set the 2030s deadline in stone after opposition from pro-nuclear businesses.

Three of the nation’s largest business lobbying groups had claimed cutting nuclear would threaten the Japanese economy.

The u-turn came on the same day Japan launched a new nuclear regulator to set new rules for reactor restart.