nuclear-news

Japan to aim for zero nuclear power by 2030

JAPAN will abandon nuclear power within the next three decades under new government policy on the post-Fukushima energy mix. Herald Sun 13 Sept 12, Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda’s administration will declare its intention to permanently shut down reactors by the 2030s, the Mainichi Shimbun reported, citing unnamed government sources.
The move will bring resource-poor Japan into line with Germany, which has said it will wean itself off nuclear power by 2022, and comes as regular vocal protests against nuclear power continue. The government ”will formally decide at an energy and environment meeting this weekend” to stop the use of nuclear, the paper said….

. Last week, Mr Noda’s ruling Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) issued a policy recommendation that Japan ”put every political resource to realise a situation where the number of nuclear plants operated be zero in the 2030s”.

The DPJ listed three principles to achieve this: not constructing new nuclear plants, stopping old nuclear plants after 40 years of operation, and only approving the restart of nuclear plants that passed safety checks by a regulator.
The policy paper recommended Japan make greater use of renewable energy and take further energy saving measures, including the use of smart metering.
It said Japan should develop resources in nearby waters and look to cheaper procurement of liquefied natural gas and other fossil fuels, including shale gas.  http://www.smh.com.au/world/japan-moves-to-end-nuclear-energy-use-20120912-25so4.html#ixzz26OQ6u4qZ

September 13, 2012 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | Japan, politics