nuclear-news

Japan’s nuclear industry’s future looking gloomy

The Japanese government last June highlighted exports of nuclear-power plants as a pillar of its economic growth strategy….All that now is in doubt. Interest in the companies’ hardware—and nuclear power in general—has fallen sharply as a result of the Fukushima disaster.

Japan’s Nuclear-Reactor Industry Faces Challenge – WSJ.com, Chester Dawson, 12 April 11, As Japanese manufacturers consider moving some operations offshore, another industry is facing yet another challenge……. Before the March 11 earthquake and tsunami, Japanese companies had hoped to export ¥20 trillion, or about $230 billion, a year in nuclear plants and other infrastructure-related business, according to the Japan Bank for International Cooperation. The government last June highlighted exports of nuclear-power plants as a pillar of its economic growth strategy.

At a February reception for foreign diplomats at an upscale hotel ballroom in Tokyo hosted by the Japanese trade minister, officials from Hitachi Ltd., Toshiba Corp. and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd. ran fancy booths extolling the virtues of their nuclear reactors.

Toshiba, which has sold 14 nuclear-power plants since its purchase of Westinghouse in 2006, had been aiming to sell 25 more plants by 2015 as part of a business plan unveiled last May. Mitsubishi Heavy last year announced a goal of selling two plants a year through 2025, and Hitachi last year targeted sales of 38 new plants by 2030.

All that now is in doubt. Interest in the companies’ hardware—and nuclear power in general—has fallen sharply as a result of the Fukushima disaster.

“We are beginning to see signs in some countries signaling possible reviews of nuclear-power-generation promotion and reconsideration of new plant projects,” Toshiba President Norio Sasaki said in an interview…..

Japan’s Nuclear-Reactor Industry Faces Challenge – WSJ.com

April 13, 2011 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | business and costs, Japan