The US and Japan’s Mission to Push Next Generation Nuclear Power

Japan ramps up the joint nuclear power agenda with the U.S. and Philippines, with an eye to deterring regional conflict.

By Thisanka Siripala, April 10, 2024

Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio is on an official state visit to the United States with a firm eye on underscoring the importance of the Japan-U.S. alliance in Asia. Kishida’s trip marks the first state visit by a Japanese leader to the U.S. in nine years.

Kishida is expected to move forward with joint economic and security projects with the Philippines and the United States as clashes between Beijing and Manila escalate in the South China Sea. It’s the first time the countries will meet for a trilateral summit.

The visit gives Kishida a global platform to outline Japan’s vision for Japan-U.S. relations as he faces a precarious political outlook at home. His public support rate hovers around a record low amid looming Liberal Democratic Party leader elections in September 2024.

Kishida framed the highly anticipated summit with U.S. President Joe Biden on April 10 as a meeting of two “global partners” tackling global issues. This will be followed by three-way talks between Biden, Kishida, and Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to discuss developing “multilayered’ ties on April 11. ……………………………………………….

For Japan and the United States, a next generation nuclear power plant is the answer to phasing out Asia’s dependency on fossil fuel. As part of their trilateral cooperation, both countries will facilitate the development of “miniature” nuclear power plants, called Small Modular Reactors (SMRs), in the Philippines.

Currently, the country struggles with chronic power outages. It relies heavily on coal, which generates 60 percent of its electricity. Marcos hopes to restart the only nuclear power plant facility in the Philippines, which was constructed and immediately abandoned in the 1980s. The government plans to have it operational by 2032.

Next generation nuclear plants like SMRs are considered much safer and cheaper than their predecessors. However, the U.S. start-up manufacturing the technology, NuScale Power, canceled its plan to construct an SMR facility in Idaho in November last year. They explained the project – which would have been the first in the United States – was economically unfeasible, as inflation and increased construction costs meant the price of energy generated by the plant would be too high.

Japan has shifted its policy on nuclear power since the devastating 2011 tsunami and earthquake disaster. …………. https://thediplomat.com/2024/04/the-us-and-japans-mission-to-push-next-generation-nuclear-power/