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Abe says Japan will not restart nuclear plants unless safety is restored 100%

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Are we to believe this charlatan? All that comes out of his mouth, from his assurances about the safety of Fukushima, the promises about Olympic venues and benefits, to the sham of Abenomics is doublespeak.

13 ( +13 / -0 )

Abe is pushing for renewables? First time I heard. Would love to see an article about his plans and the steps he is taking. Or will we read tomorrow 'nuclear declared 100% safe and renewable energy is not possible for Japan. We have a long tradition of nuclear energy.'

8 ( +8 / -0 )

Alternative energy sources are providing some of Japan's energy needs. Hydro, for one is about 5%. He's lying again. All under control? That was the most blatant piece of deception a leader of national govt has spewed to the international community since, 'Mission Accomplished!'

100% safety is impossible, there will always be a percentile that equates to danger. Therefore it's a dream statement. No nuclear.

8 ( +8 / -0 )

Nuclear facilities were 100% safe according to the LDP and their nuclear village for decades, until the day came on March 11, 2011 when they were not 100% safe. Abe and his nuclear buddies who let Fukushima happen through sloppy and basically criminal mismanagement should never be trusted.

7 ( +8 / -1 )

****Japan will not restart closed-down nuclear plants unless safety is restored 100% Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said on Monday.

Nothing in this world is 100% safe - let alone Japanese nuclear plants !

Good-bye Mr Abe

6 ( +6 / -0 )

Safety is not like a sauce you put on your steak, it has to be built in to the plant's infrastructure and environment, operating procedures, staff training etc.,

The number of incidents and accidents at Japan's NPPs, breeder reactors and re-processing plants, and the response at Fukushima Dai Ichi have demonstrated that they do not have a good safety culture.

4 ( +5 / -1 )

Speaking to the West. He somehow seems to assume nobody in Japan will read what he says overseas.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

Japan is currently “completely dependent on fossil fuels,” Abe said at the World Leaders Forum, on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly, and that his government is looking to introduce renewable energy sources at a fast

Um, excuse me, but hasn't japan had three and a half years to get some sort plan on the board for renewable energy use? I don't recall seeing plans other than restarting the nuclear power plants. I think Abe is telling porky-pies again like he did to get the Olympics. Remember his failed promise to the Olympic committee about having all the events close to athletes' accomodation, but then did a big flip-flop after he got the games. I suspect this is a similar kind of statement to gain international favor without actually having any sort of plan to introduce renewable energy. I hope he is not referring to the two hydrogen fuel stands for cars. Has anybody else heard about his wonderful plan to introduce renewables as quickly as possible? Or, is everybody like me and just heard him and his new female minister whining about how much fossil fuels are costing Japan and why the need to get nuclear power back online?

We all know that, 100% safety is only on paper and the reality of of said safety upgrades and inspections can be quite different.

3 ( +6 / -3 )

Has Abe ever told the truth about anything? I'm trying to think of something he didn't lie about, but can't. His government has not pushed renewables at all. He has been pushing the return to nuclear power having declared Fukushima under control. He also banned real news from being reported, so all we ever get is Abe inventing things and largely getting away with his lies domestically.

3 ( +6 / -3 )

“unless safety is restored" Japanese nuclear power stations never were safe; that is the whole point, so shouldn't this read, "until safety is established"?

2 ( +4 / -2 )

nothing is 100% safe

2 ( +3 / -1 )

abe's lie.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

100%safe is nothing.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

100% safe = NEVER

Taking into account Japan's seismic situation, there will NEVER be a point where Nuclear Power Plants are SAFE.

And EVEN if they WERE, getting rid of the waste is TOTALLY UNSAFE.

I'm getting sick of Abe's lies.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe reaffirmed Monday that Japan will not restart its shuttered nuclear plants "unless safety is restored 100 percent."

He said in English in New York, He did not say in Japanese in NY.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

he is just following what the majority of polls are beginning to say- nothing unless 100 % and renewable will never allow replacement of fossil fuels. of course you also get the loss of your natural landscape- that will go down well

but with everyone in the west still talking of Fukushima as if it is a radiation suit only zone all the time it is tough to get the truth out.

people are living there again and not dying or growing third arms

such a setback for Japan

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Even though I'm a pro-nuclear guy (technology wise), Abe's statement now makes me skeptical whether he(or someone) has been thinking through how to establish the nuclear power chain IN JAPAN, "100% safe" just sounds like a false precondition for the whole thing, of course, I can take it as sorta "political polishing".

If today Abe's talking about how we could handle a nuclear power plant failure, in case a.b.c...Then I feel more convinced.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

As usual, Abe will say anyhting to please International audiences, but the question is how many of them actually believe him.

BTW, there is no such thing called 100% safety when it comes nuclear technology. Besides, natural disasters, accidents and human errors happen all the time.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

@tinawatanabe; It is not his knowledge of English or Japanese. This, he spoke in his English You can not stereotype Japanese who live in USA has fluent English or Japanese in Japan can not understand how to translate Japanese to English. People in Japan do not study English from books any longer. Abe was in Long Beach and stayed in American family when he was studying Englisih, Beside that, Gaimusho;s interpeters have excellent Japanese and English. You are stereotyping. Haven't you noticed my broken English in my comments? His English was in Southern Calif. accents.

Back to Abe's comments, no one advised him that nuclear energy in USA is out of dated. He was in So, Calif. years ago so he should check how a large state Calif. managing with less solar energy for entire state. Forgot how many % there but Nevada, nuclear energy is 0.88 %. Nevada id sunny so I think he should check California. Mitsubishi and Sanyo are busy marketing on new kind of Solar energy Panels.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

unless safety is restored

I guess that means never.. #win

0 ( +1 / -1 )

I see with my eyes how safety comes after money in the nuclear industry. I never heard or read a Japan company to claim being leadrr in safety. Looking to feed ojichans only...

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Lip service.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

I think he meant he wanted to restart nuclear plants one by one from the one finished comfirming 100% of safety check list.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

@TinaWatanab

gaimusho interpreters and translators are not sloppy. He was not talking anything complicated. Just plain easy English. He was not reading papers. So you think Japanese do not understand American simple English, We are all stupid.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

the nuclear disaster was clearly man made and caused by TEPCO.

I agree.

What I said was what I thought he meant by "unless safety is restored 100%". He is Japanese, and English and Japanese have diferent connotations. The Japanese language is not so specific language.

Also, when he said "under control", which I didn't think was proper, but still in Japanese it could be interpreted in a broader meaning than in English.

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

toshiko, You speak fluent English because you live in USA for a long time. But Japanse in Japan can't speak English. Even for seemingly simple English to you, there are many points Japanese have to pay attention to, and just too much for them. Abe may not know that and just ask gaimusho interpreters to translate literally. Anyway I know that Abe wants to restart the plants.

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

nuclear will feed people not just the rich. marcelito there is always a way for something, u can never generalize things like that. one of the nuclear power plant has passed the safety test south in Kyushu. they are starting to become safe. just let them work on it. it takes time to get things redone

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

Wait a minute, I thought the whole situation was "under control" which is what Abe apparently claimed when bidding for the 2020 Olympics.

-3 ( +5 / -8 )

Double glazing solar pannales insulation, these all reduce the amount of cash available to old men who serve no purpose other than getting paid a large amount of money to serve no purpose. They need a Nuclear future not the rest of us.

-3 ( +0 / -3 )

Abe said in English yes, but he is a Japanese and not near-native English speaker. He said it in a way he spoke in Japanese.

-3 ( +0 / -3 )

Absolute BS. He's already stated the NPPs in the north can go back and neither the people support it nor have the safety measures been met (oh, but they will be completed in the future!). What Abe MEANT to say is that if the power companies say on paper it's safe, he'll turn them on. He's reneged already on various promises regarding the NPPs, he'll renege on this and others yet still. And when the next big plant accident occurs all those in charge will say, "It could not have been predicted! It's unprecedented! How could we have known?", etc.

-5 ( +3 / -8 )

Abe didn't say "100% safe", he said "unless safety is restored 100%"

I think he meant if they are 100% confident that sefety is restored.

-5 ( +0 / -5 )

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