Japan Pivots to Nuclear Power in Major Policy Shift

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2 days ago

Above: Fuel loaded into the unit 2 reactor at the Onagawa Nuclear Power Plant in Miyagi prefecture on Sept. 9, 2024. Image copyright: Nobuo Serizawa/The Sankei Shimbun/Bloomberg via Getty Imagesstory last updated 1 day ago

The Facts

Japan's cabinet has approved a new energy plan that calls for maximizing nuclear power usage, marking a significant shift from post-Fukushima policies that aimed to reduce nuclear dependence, with the goal of nuclear energy providing 20% of the country's power supply by 2040.
The Onagawa nuclear plant's unit 2 reactor, located 100 km north of Fukushima, has become the thirteenth reactor to restart operations after implementing extensive safety upgrades, including a 29-meter-high tsunami wall and enhanced earthquake protection measures.
Prior to the 2011 Fukushima disaster, Japan operated 54 nuclear reactors providing 30% of its power, but the catastrophe led to a complete shutdown and subsequent decommissioning of 21 reactors, with only 14 currently operational.

The Spin

Narrative A

Nuclear power represents a crucial component for achieving energy security and economic growth while meeting climate goals. The upgraded safety measures and regulatory standards ensure protection against natural disasters, making nuclear power a reliable and necessary energy source for Japan's future. Nuclear power is essential to meeting Japan's future decarbonization and energy goals, though it is still essential that safety plans are put in place.

JAPAN Forward Atlantic Council

Narrative B

Operating aging reactors in an earthquake-prone country poses catastrophic risks, and the massive costs of retrofitting old plants could be better invested in renewable energy development. The ongoing Fukushima cleanup demonstrates the long-term consequences of nuclear accidents. The choice to emphasize nuclear power following the catastrophe at Fukushima is extremely upsetting and shows just how risky this decision is.

Guardian Greenpeace