Japan is now paying the price for years in which its support for nuclear power meant that Tokyo gave lip service to renewable energy but didn't give it real attention.

True. Try comparing White Papers on Energy from 2007-9 with those from a decade earlier.

Japan only saw renewable energy as a potential export, of its solar panels, etc. Until 3.11, Japan had one of the lowest rates of renewable energy use in the developed world. And yep, they're now paying the price, alright.