politics

Gov't to restart nuclear reactors once safety assured

19 Comments

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said Thursday that the government will give the OK for nuclear reactors to be restarted if their safety is assured.

In a policy speech in the Diet, Abe said the government must learn the lessons of the Fukushima disaster, Fuji TV reported. He said that the government will never compromise on safety but added that if the Nuclear Regulation Authority judges that nuclear reactors meet safety standards, then they can be restarted.

The previous Democratic Party of Japan government's decision last June to restart two reactors in Fukui Prefecture galvanized the country's previously dormant anti-nuclear movement, sparking the biggest demonstrations in decades and contributing to its downfall in elections in December.

Media surveys have shown a majority of Japanese want to abandon nuclear energy by 2030, if not sooner, making the decision to restart even reactors deemed safe a risky proposition for the new Liberal Democratic Party government.

Abe said in his speech that his government would work to maximize the use of renewable energy in the long term, Fuji reported.

© Japan Today/Reuters

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19 Comments
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Horrible, yet sadly predictable news. There was no way those politicians would let that cash cow go. Every disaster gives them an excuse to raise taxes to 'repair and rebuild', yet we all know they're really just lining their pockets and profiteering off the people.

4 ( +6 / -2 )

Oh, poppycock! Geologists have already told them that many of the reactors are built on active fault lines. Are they gonna decommission these? Of course not! They will just let the storm blow over and start them all up again. One of the Abe gov's platforms was to support alternative energy sources. What has he done about it? Bugger all! Within six months they will have at least half of the reactors running and the so-called 'safety checks' will be fudged to suit. How about the tsunami walls? Will they all be increased as per the suggestions from the nuclear safety agency? How about waterproofing the electrical systems and getting the back up generators off the ground? Of course not! Just a few stress tests, a lick of paint here and there and a couple of, "Daijabu!" and we will be expecting the next nuclear disaster.

3 ( +7 / -3 )

Habibu, I think most people on this forum genuinely like Japan for many reasons other than making money. In fact, I'd venture to say a lot of foreigners here are making less money than they would in their home countries (ALT English teachers, cough cough). That said, there are a lot of things we can't (and nobody should) accept. The way the government is so in the pockets of industry for example, is one major thing that, I for one, cannot accept.

3 ( +5 / -2 )

...making radioactive waste without any means of disposal... Im sad to imagine if the whole of japan needs to be evacuated due to radioactive contamination of land, air and water for 10 000 years... god forbids!

3 ( +3 / -0 )

I guess the next big earthquake will have a ball. Question is, will electricity go down? That should be the main topic here.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

3/11 already proved, that safety can never be assured.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

Well said Magnet, I agree on every point.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

He said that the government will never compromise on safety

right...

1 ( +2 / -1 )

@Disillusioned

"Geologists have already told them that many of the reactors are built on active fault lines

One of the Abe gov's platforms was to support alternative energy sources. What has he done about it?

the so-called 'safety checks' will be fudged to suit.

How about waterproofing the electrical systems and getting the back up generators off the ground? Of course not.

A couple of, "Daijabu!" and we will be expecting the next nuclear disaster."

you summed it to the "T"...talk about setting a nation up under such geological prone conditions...thats what happens when the ones that rule are in denial, not rational, and deceptive...This guy is pimping and playing with fire...

and when that gelogical terrific cataclysmic event occurs, j-land will be in a E.L.E. demise....The question then is who will make it out in time.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

It's a delusion to think that the illusion of cheap nuclear power is real. Fukushima not only shows that it is not safe but that it is not economical. TEPCO is bankrupted with government money. Then you have the problem of spent fuel. In regard to safety, probably the next problem areas will be Tokai, Hamaoka, or kashiwazaki. Considering how seismic active all of Japan is, does it matter if a plant sits on a fault? And, don't forget the super volcano Aire caldera in Kyushu. For a country of vast geologic resources, seems the country is short sighted and will to destroy one of worlds true drinking water resources for a reckless short term gain as nuclear power. As for oil, it's fairly cheap, wait until the world economies recover in a few years. But the present government what to look back instead of forward and is seeming to follow the road to destruction of the government as indicated by the defeat of the women's suffrage bill in 1931.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

I see all these thumbs down for those who support the restart of the reactors but seriously what choice is there at the moment? Renewable energy is currently expensive and take time to implement so in the meantime what choice does Japan have? Burn loads of coal and oil? Yeah that is great for the environment and what suggestions do you have those of you that negative rep those that don't support your clean energy but you yourself no idea how to accomplish it. It is not economically feasible to say we can deal with brownouts and power outages if Japan plans to stay competitive on the world scale while they try to figure out how to get solar wind etc working on a national scale. I agree that the whole world needs to go green in the near future but you need to rationally look at the situation that Japan is in.

0 ( +3 / -3 )

YAAAAA

0 ( +0 / -0 )

I hope that no new plants are built, sadly those will have to run, cause noone will have the money for disassembly.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Never mind that Japan has tons of sources of geothermal energy, but they don't bother to tap them. Nuclear power is safe in general, when there are proper checks in place by unbiased 3rd parties and when the plants are built to properly deal with local conditions. Alas, in Japan we have neither. The people doing the checking are all in cahoots with the plant builders ,and corners are cut all the time to save a few bucks.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Hiroshi, what is there to respect?

-2 ( +2 / -5 )

bad news of the day japan can not learn from history try to accept and take start new selfish stories. this is japan and nihon jin ?? why why why ....... very sad ....... aaahh hhaa sad

real respect is buy by money (please don't loss it too much ) i wish peoples like to japan for living not for just making money and accept.

-3 ( +2 / -4 )

Japan's Economy will be better off with the Nuclear Power Plants because Nuclear Energy is a cheap alternative to coal and oil produced energy. The only posing problem to the operation of Nuclear Power Plants in Japan is the seismological instability of the region. Earthquakes happen too frequently and sometimes even on a daily basis. If they can develop a sophisticated system that will allow the Nuclear Power Plants to operate safely and CLEANLY despite the said instability, then I don't see much of a problem for Japan's Nuclear Power Production.

-4 ( +0 / -4 )

Nuclear energy is the best choice for Japan!

-4 ( +0 / -4 )

This is great news for the economy. We are buying too much oil and gas from countries that don't respect us.

-6 ( +2 / -7 )

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