nuclear-news

Japan’s political problems delay appointment of a new nuclear regulatory agency

Nuclear panel limbo Renewable energy plan sees no nukes Japan Times Sep. 1, 2012 Kyodo, Jiji The Diet may not vote on appointments to the new nuclear regulatory
commission before the legislative session ends Sept. 8.

A vote is unlikely in the current session, a senior Diet affairs official in the ruling Democratic Party of Japan confirmed Thursday.
This is because some DPJ members, including ex-Prime Minister Yukio
Hatoyama, oppose appointing Shunichi Tanaka, former acting chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission, as head of the regulatory body, describing him as pronuclear.

There is concern within the DPJ that forcing the votes could cause more lawmakers to quit the party.

Another DPJ executive said holding the votes would be difficult as the opposition parties have boycotted deliberations since the opposition-controlled Upper House passed a censure motion against Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda on Wednesday.

The government has until Sept. 26 to set up the nuclear regulatory body. If the Diet doesn’t act, Noda has the power to appoint the commission’s members as a stopgap measure.
http://www.japantimes.co.jp/text/nn20120901a1.html

September 1, 2012 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | Japan, politics